铁
tiě · HSK 3
iron
⛓️ 金 (metal) + 失 (lose) — iron loses its shine, rusts
铁 is the simplified form of 鐵. The 金 radical marks it as a metal; the 失 (lose) component on the right hints at iron's tendency to lose its luster and rust over time. Core meaning: iron, and by extension tools made of iron.
铁 — metal radical 钅 + 失 (shī) phonetic
铁 is the simplified form of 鐵, meaning 'iron'. It is a semantic-phonetic compound: the metal radical 钅 (金) signals the meaning (a metal), while 失 hints at the sound. The traditional 鐵 used a more complex phonetic element, but the modern simplified form keeps the same structure with a simpler right side.