U+9501 "锁" CJK Unified Ideograph-# Unicode Character

U+9501 "锁" CJK Unified Ideograph-# is a Chinese character that primarily means "lock" or "to lock," functioning as both a noun and a verb in modern Mandarin. It is composed of the radical 钅 (metal) on the left and the phonetic component 所 on the right, reflecting its historical association with metal fasteners. In everyday usage, this character appears in terms like 锁门 (to lock a door) or 锁匠 (locksmith), and it also carries figurative meanings such as "to confine" or "to shackle" in literary or metaphorical contexts. As a standard component of the Chinese writing system, it is widely used across East Asia, including in Japanese (as 錠) and Korean (as 쇄), though its pronunciation and specific applications may vary.