籟 (lài) - Lai — refers to a sound, especially a & also used to describe music or beautiful sounds.

籟Tone 4

lài ｜ 22 strokes ｜ radical:

俊梁

籟 · lài

Lai — refers to a sound, especially a natural sound like wind through bamboo, flowing water, or birdsong;

also used to describe music or beautiful sounds.

Lai — refers to a sound, especially aalso used to describe music or beautiful sounds.

Usage highlights

Natural soundsAll soundsBamboo soundsWind soundsFlowing water soundsHuman voice

Synonyms

  • 声— sound, voice
  • 音— sound, tone
  • 响— sound, echo

Antonyms

  • 寂— silence, quiet
  • 静— stillness, calm

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The sound of wind in the bamboo grove(万籁)
  • The murmur of a flowing stream(溪籁)
  • The beautiful sound of a flute(箫籁)
  • The harmony of nature(天籁)
  • The sound of wind in the pines(松籁)

Collocations

  • Natural sounds(天籁)
  • All sounds(万籁)
  • Bamboo sounds(竹籁)
  • Wind sounds(风籁)
  • Flowing water sounds(水籁)
  • Human voice(人籁)

Idioms

  • All is quiet(万籁俱寂)
  • Heavenly music(天籁之音)
  • The three kinds of sounds(天籁、地籁、人籁)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Derived from Daoist philosophy, particularly Zhuangzi's concept of the 'three pipes' - heavenly, earthly, and human sounds.
  • Traditionally associated with natural acoustics, especially the sound of wind passing through hollow bamboo.
  • Considered one of the most poetic characters for describing natural music and harmony.

FAQ