A ding or ting (鼎 pinyin ding3) is an ancient Chinese vessel with three legs, hence it is also called a tripod. Dings can be made of ceramic or bronze in various shapes. Smaller ones are believed to be cooking utensils, while larger versions are believed to be sacrificial or commemorative vessels. The older dings are dated back to Shang Dynasty. In China, ding is a symbol of dynasty. Inscriptions on dings and zhongs are studied for bronzeware script.
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The word 'ding' is also used as a slang term for "accident" in Australian and New Zealand English, with particular reference to any damage caused (thus a person who has dented their vehicle in a collision might be said to have "dinged their car")
Last updated: 10-21-2005 22:31:26
