汞(Hg)是发现比较早的古老元素,俗称水银。古代也有人把它叫白澒(《准南子》),姹女(《参同契》)等。在化学元素周期表中,八十多种金属中绝大部分都是固体,唯有汞在常温下不但具有象银一样的金属光泽,又有象水一样能够流动。李时珍著《本草纲目》中就提到它:“其状如水,似银,故名水银。”汞的希 Mercury (Hg) is an ancient element found relatively early, commonly known as mercury. In ancient times, some people called it Baizhu (“Guinanzi”) and the prostitute (“Self-involved”). In the periodic table of chemical elements, most of the more than 80 types of metals are solid, and mercury alone has not only metallic luster like silver but also water like normal flow. In Li Shizhen’s “Compendium of Materia Medica,” he mentioned it: “It’s like water, like silver, hence the name mercury.”