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觱 is a phono-semantic compound that originally denoted an ancient wind instrument, such as a Tartar horn or reed pipe used by nomadic tribes. The horn radical 角 indicates an instrument crafted from animal horn, while the phonetic 𤰇 (bì) supplies the pronunciation. It is best known from the compound 觱篥 (bìlì), a Central Asian double-reed woodwind that entered Chinese court music during the Han and Tang dynasties. In classical texts, 觱 also describes cold, piercing winds or the bubbling of spring water, a semantic extension from the instrument's loud, sharp sound to other intense sensory experiences.
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