煉
refine metals, kneading over fire
Readings
On'yomi
- レン
Kun'yomi
- ね.る
Meaning
煉 centers on applying heat to transform or purify a substance: refining metals by fire, or kneading and working something over heat to change its consistency.
Most common words using 煉
- 煉瓦れんがN2
brick
- 煉獄れんごく
purgatory
- シャモット煉瓦シャモットれんが
chamotte brick
- 化粧煉瓦けしょうれんが
ornamental tile; facing bricks
- 木煉瓦もくれんが
wooden block
- 煉丹れんたん
elixir of life (prepared from cinnabar in ancient China)
- 煉丹術れんたんじゅつ
art of making elixirs (e.g. in Chinese trad. medicine); alchemy
- 耐火煉瓦たいかれんが
firebrick
- 舗装煉瓦ほそうれんが
paving brick
- 薬煉くすね
boiled pine pitch and oil (traditionally used as a glue in archery, etc.)
- 赤煉瓦あかれんが
red brick
Study
Etymology
煉 combines 火 (fire) with 柬, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of selecting or sorting, suggesting the process of refining by fire to separate impurities.
Meaning mnemonic
Fire 火 on the left and 柬 on the right: picture a smith using fire to knead and refine metal, working it until it's pure.
Reading mnemonic
For レン, imagine a metalworker named Len who refines metals over fire: Len -> レン, and his fire purifies the metal.