钳子

• Pinyin: qián zi
• Hanzi breakdown: 钳 = 钅(metal radical) + 甘 (sweet/phonetic); 子 = child/nominalising suffix (neutral tone)

Meaning

Pliers; pincers; clamp. A hand tool with two pivoting jaws used for gripping, bending, or holding objects.

A common workshop and household tool. Types include 尖嘴钳 (needle-nose pliers), 老虎钳 (combination pliers), and 剪线钳 (wire cutters). Used broadly in electrical work, mechanical repair, and construction.

Examples

1. 师傅用钳子夹住铁丝，轻松地将其扭成了所需的形状。 The master gripped the wire with pliers and easily twisted it into the required shape.
2. 维修电路时，必须使用绝缘钳子，以确保操作安全。 When repairing circuits, you must use insulated pliers to ensure safe operation.
3. 他在工具箱里翻找了半天，终于找到了一把合适的钳子。 He rummaged through the toolbox for a long time before finally finding a suitable pair of pliers.

Usage Guide

Context: tools, construction, repair

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 水管接口出现松动，维修师傅拿出钳子，三两下就把管件重新固定好了。(The pipe joint had come loose; the repairman took out his pliers and in a few quick moves had the fitting secured again.)
• 在精密仪器装配车间，工人使用专用钳子对零部件进行微调，确保每个环节达到毫米级精度标准。(In the precision instrument assembly workshop, workers use specialised pliers to fine-tune components, ensuring every stage meets millimetre-level precision standards.)

Don't Say

• 用钳子剪断绳子 — pliers are designed for gripping and bending wire or metal, not cutting rope; use 剪刀 (scissors) or 刀 for rope; 钳子 is for metalwork

Origin & History

钳 = 钅(metal) + 甘 (phonetic) — a metal gripping tool; 子 = nominalising suffix

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal