About
觱 is a phono-semantic compound historically denoting a type of ancient wind instrument, often identified as a Tartar horn or a reed pipe. Its structure combines the semantic radical 角 (horn), indicating the instrument's original material, with the phonetic component 𤰇 (bì), which provides its pronunciation. The character is most commonly found in the term 觱篥 (bìlì), a double-reed woodwind introduced to Chinese courts from Central Asia during the Han and Tang dynasties. In classical texts, its meaning extends to describe piercing winds or the sound of a bubbling spring, transferring the sharp auditory quality of the horn to other intense sensory experiences.
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