Definitions
flute; key
Etymology
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The traditional character 籥 is structurally composed of the bamboo radical 竹 atop the component 龠, which itself represents a pipe or flute. Etymologically, this construction directly indicates its original meaning as a specific type of ancient wind instrument, typically a three-hole flute fabricated from bamboo. Over centuries, the semantic range of 籥 expanded beyond its musical reference to additionally denote a key or lock, a shift probably arising from phonetic loan or a perceived functional analogy between the instrument's airflow mechanism and the operation of a locking device.
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