簧 (huáng) - reed & spring (mechanical)

簧Tone 2

huáng ｜ 17 strokes ｜ radical:

枫惠

簧 · huáng

reed;

spring (mechanical);

tongue of a reed instrument;

cunning, crafty

reedspring (mechanical)tongue of a reed instrument

Usage highlights

springreedreed instrumentdouble reedspring lockspring mattress

Synonyms

  • 弹簧— spring (mechanical)
  • 簧片— reed (musical instrument)

Antonyms

  • 实— honest, sincere (antonym to the cunning sense)
  • 朴— simple, unadorned (antonym to the crafty sense)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The harmonica uses reeds (簧片) to produce sound.
  • This mechanical device has a spring (弹簧).
  • He is a smooth talker (巧舌如簧).
  • The reed instrument produces beautiful tones (簧乐器).

Collocations

  • spring(弹簧)
  • reed(簧片)
  • reed instrument(簧乐器)
  • double reed(双簧管)
  • spring lock(弹簧锁)
  • spring mattress(弹簧床垫)

Idioms

  • To have a glib tongue(巧舌如簧)
  • Double reed performance(双簧戏)
  • Spring-loaded mechanism(一簧两舌)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • 簧 originally referred to the thin reed or metal tongue in ancient Chinese wind instruments that vibrates to produce sound.
  • In traditional Chinese culture, '巧舌如簧' describes someone who is eloquent but potentially insincere or manipulative.
  • The character appears in names of musical instruments like 笙簧 (sheng reed instrument) and 双簧管 (oboe).

FAQ