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Kotomora

銠

Rhodium (element), Ruthenium

Strokes14

Readings

On'yomi

  • ロウ

Kun'yomi

  • ルテニウム

Meaning

銠 is a character used for the chemical element rhodium. The alternate meaning ruthenium appears to be a historical misassignment or confusion, but the primary modern sense is rhodium.

Study

Etymology

銠 is a modern coined character for the element rhodium, combining the metal radical 金 with the phonetic component 老 (ろう). It was created in Japan during the Meiji period as part of the systematic naming of chemical elements.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side 金 means metal, and the right side 老 suggests the sound. Picture an old (老) metal (金) coin made of rhodium, a rare and valuable element.

Reading mnemonic

For ロウ, imagine a row of old metal rhodium bars: row -> ロウ, and the old metal bars are lined up.