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位於鎖體端面鑰匙孔的形
狀，大部分為文字形，如「一、
上、下、土、工、士、山、古、
而、吉、尚、喜、壽」等。孔
狀為「一」字者，是庶民百姓
所使用的鎖具；為「士」字者，
是讀書人、士大夫所使用的鎖
具；為「吉」字者，是達官貴
人所使用的鎖具；「喜」字用
於婚嫁，「壽」字則用為祈求
建康、長壽。而帝王、將相、
太子、王公、皇妃、公主等，
則另有標誌。
有些古鎖是以其鑰匙孔的形狀
來命名，如鑰匙孔呈「一」字
形者稱為「一字鎖」；鑰匙孔
呈「士」字形者，稱為「士字
鎖」。鑰匙孔呈「壽」字形的
鎖具，則稱為「壽字鎖」；壽
字鎖的鑰匙為一個壽字或二個
壽字，利用壽字的構形擠壓鉗
制彈簧片的作用開啟，設計獨
特，用來祝頌萬壽無疆、福如
東海、壽比南山。
Some ancient Chinese splitting
spring padlocks were designed with
letter-shape keyholes on the side-end
of the lock-body, such as "
一、 上、
下、土、工、士、山、古、而、吉、
尚、喜、壽
", … etc. They were made
for users of various social classes.
The shape of Chinese character "
一
" was used by the civilians, "
士
"
was used by intellectual class, and "
吉
" was used by the nobles and high
rank officials. The shape of Chinese
character "
喜
" was used in weddings,
and the shape of Chinese character "
壽
" was used to pray for the bliss of good
health and long life. Furthermore,
there are significant shapes of keyholes
for various ruling classes such as
the emperors and kings, generals
and ministers, the oldest princes,
royal families, queens, princes and
princesses, … etc.
Some ancient locks were named after
the shapes of their keyholes. For
instances, the locks with keyholes of
the letter "
一
" shape was called the "
一
letter locks"; the locks with keyholes
of the letter "
士
" shape were called "
士
letter locks". Therefore, "
壽
letter
locks" are locks with keyholes of the
letter "
壽
" shape. The key of a "
壽
letter lock" was usually designed as one
"
壽
" letter or double - "
壽壽
" letter.
This is a unique and complicated design
with a key-head the shape of the letter "
壽
" to squeeze on the splitting springs.
Such a lock was often presented on
birthdays as a gift of good wishes on
endless happiness and long life.