How to Write 铣 (xǐ) — Meaning “To mill (metalworking)”

Imagine a milling machine (铣床) that has a sharp metal blade shaped like the character 先 on the right. The left radical 钅 reminds you it's made of metal, so 铣 means to mill metal.

When writing 铣, make sure the left radical 钅 is narrow and tall, with the first stroke being a left-falling stroke (撇). The right part 先 has five strokes; the last stroke (竖弯钩) should curve smoothly without being too tight.

钙 (gài) means calcium, a chemical element, and 钚 (bù) means plutonium, a radioactive element. Both are metals, but 铣 (xǐ) is a verb meaning to mill or cut metal, not an element. Visually, 钙 has 丐 on the right, 钚 has 不, while 铣 has 先.

铣 is a technical term used mostly in manufacturing and engineering. You'll see it in words like 铣床 (milling machine) and 铣工 (miller operator), commonly found in factory or workshop settings. It is not part of everyday vocabulary for most Chinese speakers.

Common words containing 铣 include: 铣床 (xǐ chuáng) — Milling machine; 铣工 (xǐ gōng) — Miller; milling machine operator; 铣削 (xǐ xuē) — Milling.