Talk:鼎
This seems to be used in the vernacular to mean wok. Should that be added to the definitions? 24.29.238.60 20:12, 14 January 2009 (UTC)
- It is definitely used that way in Min Nan (POJ: tiáⁿ). However, there is little evidence that wok is a common meaning for this character in Mandarin. In other words, it would be safe to add such a definition to a Min Nan section, but it would be a stretch to add it to the common definitions section. -- A-cai 22:02, 14 January 2009 (UTC)
Thanks, I'm looking specifically at the colloquial meaning in restaurant names such as "Golden Wok," where the name appears in English, accompanied by Chinese characters. The use of 鼎 could lend some prestige to the Chinese name (i.e., more like "Golden Brazier" or something like that), over using the regular character for wok, which would look more mundane, whereas 鼎 has the aura of thousands of years of history, royal sacrificial rituals, etc. going back to the remote Shang Dynasty. Of course, many Chinese immigrants in places where such restaurants would be found would most likely come from Fujian or other regions where southern dialects would be spoken. Could we do some online research about this and see where this character is used to mean "wok," and by whom? 24.29.238.60 00:36, 17 January 2009 (UTC)