笛 (dí) - Flute — a wind musical instrument, typically made & also refers to whistle-like instruments.

笛Tone 2

dí ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

橙丁

笛 · dí

Flute — a wind musical instrument, typically made of bamboo;

also refers to whistle-like instruments.

Flute — a wind musical instrument, typically madealso refers to whistle-like instruments.

Usage highlights

bamboo fluteflute melodyflute playershepherd's flutepolice whistletrain whistle

Synonyms

  • 箫— xiao - vertical bamboo flute
  • 管— guan - general term for wind instruments

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He plays the bamboo flute (笛子).
  • The shepherd's flute (牧笛) echoed in the valley.
  • We heard a police whistle (警笛) in the distance.
  • The orchestra includes a piccolo (短笛).

Collocations

  • bamboo flute(竹笛)
  • flute melody(笛声)
  • flute player(笛手)
  • shepherd's flute(牧笛)
  • police whistle(警笛)
  • train whistle(汽笛)

Idioms

  • The sound of the flute in a jade tower(玉楼笛声)
  • Flute music from the plum blossoms(梅花笛韵)
  • Playing the flute to catch fish(吹笛引鱼)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • One of the oldest Chinese musical instruments, dating back over 7,000 years.
  • Traditionally made from bamboo and associated with pastoral and scholarly pursuits.
  • In Chinese poetry, the flute often symbolizes nostalgia, longing, and natural beauty.

FAQ