青銅

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 青銅 is read as せいどう and is a noun for bronze, a copper-based alloy used for mirrors, sculpture, tools, and other objects.
• Basic usage: An old mirror made of bronze appears in 青銅で作られた鏡, while pouring molten bronze into a mold appears in 溶かした青銅を型に流し込む.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Material takes で
  • When stating that an object is made of bronze, the material is followed by で.
• Difference from 銅
  • Unlike the word for copper as a metal, this term denotes the bronze alloy made with copper as its base.