How to Write 锶 (sī) — Meaning “strontium (chemical element)”

Think of 'metal' (钅) plus 'thinking' (思) — imagine a scientist thinking about strontium, a metal element. You could also picture a 'strontium' label on a metal box that makes you think twice about its chemistry.

The left radical 钅 has five strokes and must be narrow, while the right part 思 has nine strokes and is wider. A common mistake is making the 钅 too wide or forgetting the dot above the 田 in 思.

锶 (sī) specifically means 'strontium', a chemical element. 铓 (máng) means 'blade's edge' and is rarely used, while 铸 (zhù) means 'to cast metal'. Visually, 锶 has 思 on the right, 铓 has 亡, and 铸 has 寿.

锶 is mainly used in chemistry and mining contexts, such as in 锶盐 (strontium salt) and 锶矿 (strontium ore). It appears in scientific reports or industrial discussions, rarely in everyday conversation, but it can be seen in mineral water labels as 锶水 (strontium water), which is marketed for health benefits.

Common words containing 锶 include: 锶盐 (sī yán) — strontium salt; 锶矿 (sī kuàng) — strontium ore; 锶水 (sī shuǐ) — strontium water.