桴 (fú) - Raft & small wooden boat

桴Tone 2

fú ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

枫惠

桴 · fú

Raft;

small wooden boat;

drumstick;

also used metaphorically for something that carries or transmits.

Raftsmall wooden boatdrumstick

Usage highlights

wooden raftdrumstickraft crossingpestleraft and oarsignal drum

Synonyms

  • 筏— raft (more common modern term)
  • 槌— mallet, drumstick

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • They crossed the river on a raft (乘桴).
  • The conductor raised his baton (鼓桴).
  • He used a wooden pestle (桴木) for grinding.
  • The sound of drumbeats (桴鼓相应) echoed through the hall.

Collocations

  • wooden raft(木桴)
  • drumstick(鼓桴)
  • raft crossing(乘桴)
  • pestle(桴木)
  • raft and oar(桴筏)
  • signal drum(鸣桴)

Idioms

  • Act in concert with each other(桴鼓相应)
  • Cross the sea on a raft(乘桴浮海)
  • Beat the drum and raise the stick(击鼓扬桴)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In ancient times, rafts (桴) were important means of water transportation, especially before more advanced boats were developed.
  • The character appears in classical texts like the Analects where Confucius says he would 'take a raft and float out to sea' (乘桴浮于海) when the Way does not prevail.
  • As a drumstick, 桴 represents the tool that produces sound in ritual and military contexts, symbolizing command and coordination.

FAQ