铎 (duó) · large ancient bell with a clapper

Measure Word

一个铎 gè

Meanings

1 large ancient bell with a clapper
2 a wooden or metal bell used in ancient China for announcements

Characters

铎

duó

large ancient bell with a clapper

Examples

HSK 7-9

古代官员巡视时会摇铎示警。

Gǔdài guānyuán xúnshì shí huì yáo duó shì jǐng.

Ancient officials would shake the bell to signal a warning while on patrol.

HSK 7-9

铎是中国古代的一种礼器。

Duó shì Zhōngguó gǔdài de yī zhǒng lǐqì.

The duo bell is a type of ceremonial instrument from ancient China.

Tips

history

铎 was an ancient bell used by officials and teachers to call attention. It had a clapper - 木铎 for a wooden one, 金铎 for a metal one. The phrase 木铎金声 evokes moral authority and education.

Components

radical

钅 jīn

metal (radical form of 金)

Left-side metal radical, the side form of 金. It supplies the meaning: a 铎 is a heavy bronze handbell with a striking clapper, used by ancient officials to summon attention before announcements. The radical anchors it in the cast-bronze family along with 钟 bell, 铃 small bell, 镜 mirror.

phonetic

睪 yì

to spy out (graphic residue of phonetic)

Right side is the contracted graphic residue of phonetic 睪 - yì drifting to duó through an old initial alternation. The traditional form 鐸 keeps the full 13-stroke 睪; the simplified shape squeezes it to a 5-stroke silhouette, so the historical pieces have visually fused. The same phonetic series gives 译 translate, 择 choose, 释 release.