also: てい
noun
three-legged bronze vessel; ancient Chinese tripod cauldron
Historical term referring to a specific type of ancient Chinese ritual bronze vessel with three legs. In Japanese, it is often encountered in historical or cultural contexts, and the word is also used metaphorically in expressions like 鼎の軽重を問う (to question someone's authority or ability).
博物館で古代中国の鼎を見た。
I saw an ancient Chinese tripod vessel at the museum.
鼎の軽重を問うとは、その人の力
To question the weight of a tripod means to doubt someone's ability.
The character 鼎 is a pictograph of a three-legged vessel. The Japanese reading かなえ is the native Japanese word for such a vessel, while てい is the Sino-Japanese on-reading. The exact origin of かなえ is uncertain, but it has been used since ancient times to refer to tripod cauldrons.