横笛 (héng dí) — bamboo flute (Chinese transverse flute)

Definition

noun

bamboo flute (Chinese transverse flute)

Measure word · 支

横笛，。
Tā zhèng zài chuī héng dí, shēng yīn hěn hǎo tīng.
He is playing the bamboo flute, and the sound is very pleasant.
横笛。
Zhè zhī héng dí shì yòng shàng hǎo de zhú zi zuò de.
This bamboo flute is made of high-quality bamboo.
，横笛。
Zài yīn yuè huì shàng, héng dí de xuán lǜ ràng rén táo zuì.
At the concert, the melody of the bamboo flute was enchanting.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

横hénghorizontal

横 gives horizontal, and 笛 gives flute, naming a flute held sideways.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 橫; 横 is its simplified writing.

木黃橫

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùwood

Sound part声符shēngfú

黃

黃huáng橫héng

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 橫 has 木, meaning wood, beside 黃, which supplies the sound; the simplified 横 is a later abbreviation.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

竹由笛

Meaning part形符xíngfú

竹竹zhúbamboo

Sound part声符shēngfú

由

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

笛 pairs 竹 (bamboo) with 由 as a sound part. The bamboo part shows the object is made of bamboo.