键
jiàn HSK5

key, bolt

Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 建 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鍵.

Components

钅
钅 Meaning component
jīn metal

钅 is a component form of 金.

建
建 Sound component
jiàn build

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫
Readings & variants
Unicode

鍵 jiàn key, bolt Traditional

Phonosemantic compound. 釒 represents the meaning and 建 represents the sound.

Components

釒
釒 Meaning component
jīn metal
建
建 Sound component
jiàn build

Character Evolution

Seal form
Seal Shuowen ~100 AD
Clerical form
Clerical Western Han 202 BC-9 AD
Regular Modern

Historical Pronunciations

Old Chinese
Zhengzhangɡran
ɡranʔ
ɡanʔ

說文解字

《說文》：“鍵，鉉也。一曰車轄。从金，建聲。”

Sources

Character origin
漢語多功能字庫
Readings & variants
Unicode
Historical pronunciations
Zhengzhang Shangfang
Historical images
Academia Sinica
Etymology
Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字)