Chinese Character: 镜
1. Character Basics
Radical: 钅 (jīn)
Stroke Count: 16
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: jìng (4th tone)
3. Meaning
mirror, lens, glasses
4. Common Words
- 镜子 (jìng zi) - mirror
- 眼镜 (yǎn jìng) - glasses, spectacles
- 镜头 (jìng tóu) - camera lens
- 望远镜 (wàng yuǎn jìng) - telescope
- 显微镜 (xiǎn wēi jìng) - microscope
- 镜面 (jìng miàn) - mirror surface
5. Grammar & Usage
Part of Speech: Noun
Usage Patterns:
- As a noun: 一面镜子 (yī miàn jìng zi) - a mirror
- In compound words: 眼镜店 (yǎn jìng diàn) - optical store
- In technical terms: 反光镜 (fǎn guāng jìng) - reflector
- In idiomatic expressions: 以史为镜 (yǐ shǐ wéi jìng) - take history as a mirror
Collocations:
- 与表示不同类型镜子的字组合：穿衣镜 (chuān yī jìng) - dressing mirror
- 与光学仪器相关：凸透镜 (tū tòu jìng) - convex lens
- 与抽象概念搭配：心灵之镜 (xīn líng zhī jìng) - mirror of the soul
6. Cultural Background
In Chinese culture, mirrors have long held symbolic significance beyond their practical use. Historically, mirrors were made of bronze and were considered valuable objects with spiritual connotations.
Chinese philosophy often uses mirror imagery to represent self-reflection and introspection. The famous saying "以铜为镜，可以正衣冠；以史为镜，可以知兴替；以人为镜，可以明得失" (yǐ tóng wéi jìng, kě yǐ zhèng yī guān; yǐ shǐ wéi jìng, kě yǐ zhī xīng tì; yǐ rén wéi jìng, kě yǐ míng dé shī) translates to "Using bronze as a mirror, you can adjust your clothes; using history as a mirror, you can understand rise and fall; using people as a mirror, you can understand gains and losses."
Mirrors also feature in Chinese mythology and folklore. The "Mirror of Absolute Brightness" (照妖镜) is a legendary magical mirror said to reveal the true form of demons and spirits.
In modern China, the character "镜" is widely used in everyday vocabulary, reflecting its continued importance in both practical and symbolic contexts.
7. Example Sentence
Chinese: 她每天早上都对着镜子化妆。
Pinyin: Tā měi tiān zǎo shang dōu duì zhe jìng zi huà zhuāng.
Translation: She puts on makeup in front of the mirror every morning.
8. Memory Tips
The character "镜" is composed of two parts: "钅" (jīn), the metal radical, and "竟" (jìng), which means "actually" or "finally".
A helpful mnemonic: Imagine a metal object (钅) that allows you to see clearly (竟) - that's a mirror. The radical "钅" indicates that mirrors were traditionally made of metal (bronze) in ancient China.
Another way to remember: The sound of "竟" (jìng) is the same as the pronunciation of "镜", which can help you recall both the sound and meaning of the character.