Pinyin	zhōng
Meaning	clock; o’clock; bell; to concentrate
Radical	钅（金）	繁體字	鐘/鍾

中

writing patterns, not components

category: phono-semantic compound

structure: left right

9stroke count

HSK 1

Breakdown

钟 (zhōng), a phono-semantic compound character, originally means “bell,” but after the invention of striking clocks, it extended to mean “clock.” It has 金 (jīn) “gold” serving as the radical, which appears in the form of 钅. It implies the object is made of metal. The other component is 中 (zhōng) “center,” which plays a phonetic role. 钟 (zhōng) could also refer to a kind of cup in ancient times, but now it has shifted to mean “to concentrate.”

Used as a morpheme/word

钟 (zhōng) is not commonly used alone as the word “clock.” Instead, it is usually modified by another morpheme to specify the type of clock.

How to pronounce

To pronounce this character, say “Jung” with unrounded lips, then move the tip of your tongue backward while it is touching the roof. Once you can feel the “slope,” stop right there, hold still, and say “Jung” again.