木鱼 (mù yú) — (Buddhist percussion instrument) wooden fish — a hollow, fish-shaped block struck with a mallet during chanting

Definition

A hollow wooden fish-shaped percussion instrument struck with a mallet during Buddhist chanting. The crisp tapping keeps rhythm for monks reciting sutras, and small versions are sold as souvenirs.

noun
(Buddhist percussion instrument) wooden fish — a hollow, fish-shaped block struck with a mallet during chanting
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 木鱼，。
    Hé shàng yì biān qiāo mù yú, yì biān niàn jīng.
    The monk chanted sutras while striking the wooden fish.
  • 木鱼。
    Sì miào lǐ chuán lái qīng cuì de mù yú shēng.
    The crisp sound of the wooden fish came from the temple.
  • 木鱼。
    Tā mǎi le yí gè xiǎo mù yú zuò jì niàn pǐn.
    He bought a small wooden fish as a souvenir.

Origin

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.

木mùwood
鱼yúfish

Made of wood and shaped like a fish, the two parts together name the Buddhist percussion block.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

木 is drawn as a tree, with branches above and roots below.

Open 木 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 魚; 鱼 is its simplified writing.

For 鱼, the traditional form 魚 is a picture of a fish.

Open 鱼 →

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