[[Characters]] #Characters \ #Natural-World \ #Elements # 钢 gāng steel ## Components [[钅 (jīn)]] [[冈 gāng]] ## Meaning Today, the character "钢" (gāng) primarily means "steel." It refers to a type of metal alloy composed mainly of iron and carbon, known for its strength, hardness, and versatility in various industrial applications. ## History The character "钢" (gāng) is a phono-semantic compound character. The component "金" (钅) indicates that steel is a metal. The component "岡" (冈, gāng) provides the phonetic aspect, suggesting hardness or toughness. Originally, the character meant refined iron. ## Evolution ### Oracular Script ？ ### Bronze Script ？ ### Seal Script ？ ### Clerical Script ![[钢 cle.svg]] ### Regular Script ![[钢 reg.svg]]