钥匙
yàoshi · HSK 7
key
🔑 钥匙 = 钥 (lock-key) + 匙 (spoon/latch) — two key-words stuck together
钥 carries the 钅 metal radical, marking it as a metal implement; 匙 on its own means spoon but here pairs up to name the everyday key. Said fast, yàoshi sounds like YOW-shr.
yào shi · HSK 4
key
🔑 钥 (yào, key) + 匙 (shi, spoon) — a 'key-spoon' compound for key
钥 alone means key; 匙 means spoon (as in 汤匙 soup-spoon). Modern Mandarin pairs them into the two-syllable word 钥匙. The 钅(metal) radical on both characters hints at the metal object.