瑟 (sè) - Se — an ancient Chinese plucked string instrument & also describes a rustling sound or a trembling,

瑟Tone 4

sè ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

三姗

瑟 · sè

Se — an ancient Chinese plucked string instrument similar to the zither;

also describes a rustling sound or a trembling, shivering state.

Se — an ancient Chinese plucked string instrumentalso describes a rustling sound or a trembling,

Usage highlights

Ancient se instrumentRustling soundTrembling with coldSe and qin duetSe stringsSe music

Synonyms

  • 琴— Qin (another ancient string instrument)
  • 筝— Zheng (a related plucked zither)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The musician played the se (瑟).
  • Leaves rustled in the wind (瑟瑟).
  • She was trembling with cold (瑟缩).
  • The se often appears in ancient poetry (古瑟).

Collocations

  • Ancient se instrument(古瑟)
  • Rustling sound(瑟瑟)
  • Trembling with cold(瑟缩)
  • Se and qin duet(琴瑟)
  • Se strings(瑟弦)
  • Se music(瑟乐)

Idioms

  • Harmonious as qin and se(琴瑟和谐)
  • Autumn wind rustling(秋风瑟瑟)
  • Shrink back in fear(瑟缩不前)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The se was a prominent 25- or 50-string zither in ancient China, often played with the qin (guqin) in aristocratic and ritual contexts.
  • The phrase 'qin se' (琴瑟) symbolizes marital harmony and intimate friendship in classical literature.
  • The reduplicated form 'sese' (瑟瑟) evokes the sound of wind or rustling leaves, common in poetic descriptions of autumn.

FAQ