笙

shēng

生 + 竹

Frequency#3891

Definitions

shēng sheng, a free reed wind instrument with vertical bamboo pipes

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. ⺮ represents the meaning and 生 represents the sound.

Semantic: ⺮ Phonetic: 生

About

The character "笙" is a phono-semantic compound consisting of the semantic component "竹" for bamboo and the phonetic component "生" indicating its pronunciation, a structure that directly corresponds to the instrument's construction from bamboo pipes. Historically, this character has denoted a Chinese mouth-blown free reed instrument composed of multiple bamboo pipes, with its meaning remaining specifically tied to this musical device since early textual evidence. The etymological design highlights the instrument's material while employing a phonetic element for sound, and no significant divergence from this core meaning is recorded in its usage over time.

Etymology Hide

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

笙是一种传统乐器。

Shēng shì yī zhǒng chuántǒng yuèqì.

Sheng is a traditional musical instrument.

我喜欢听笙的演奏。

Wǒ xǐhuān tīng shēng de yǎnzòu.

I like listening to sheng performance.

音乐老师教我们吹笙。

Yīnyuè lǎoshī jiāo wǒmen chuī shēng.

The music teacher teaches us to play sheng.

笙的声音悠扬动听。

Shēng de shēngyīn yōuyáng dòngtīng.

The sound of sheng is melodious and pleasant.

在古典乐队中，笙很重要。

Zài gǔdiǎn yuèduì zhōng, shēng hěn zhòngyào.

In classical orchestras, sheng is very important.

她每天练习笙，为了演出。

Tā měitiān liànxí shēng, wèile yǎnchū.

She practices sheng every day for the performance.

笙的构造复杂，需要精心制作。

Shēng de gòuzào fùzá, xūyào jīngxīn zhìzuò.

The structure of sheng is complex and requires careful craftsmanship.

虽然笙不如钢琴流行，但它的音色独特。

Suīrán shēng bùrú gāngqín liúxíng, dàn tā de yīnsè dútè.

Although sheng is not as popular as piano, its timbre is unique.

Related Characters

Component: 生

Component: 竹

笙