镣 (liào) · fetters; leg-irons; shackles

Meanings

1 fetters; leg-irons; shackles

Characters

镣

liào

leg-irons; shackles

Examples

HSK 6

犯人戴着脚镣被带了出去。

Fànrén dài zhe jiǎoliào bèi dài le chūqù.

The prisoner was led out in shackles.

HSK 6

戴着镣铐跳舞也是跳舞。

Dài zhe liàokào tiàowǔ yě shì tiàowǔ.

Dancing in chains still counts as dancing.

Tips

usage

镣 means leg-irons, almost always in 脚镣 (ankle shackles) or 镣铐 (chains and cuffs together). 镣铐 is also a common metaphor for any oppressive restriction.

Components

radical

钅 jīn

metal

The metal radical in its left-side form, from 金. It marks the character as a metal object - here iron shackles. The radical groups 镣 with 锁, 钉, and 铐.

phonetic

尞 liáo

phonetic component

Supplies the sound (liáo close to liào). It works purely as a pronunciation marker; the same element gives 燎 and 寮 their reading.