單簧管 / 单簧管
dānhuángguǎn
The English word clarinet is translated into Chinese as 單簧管 / 单簧管 (dānhuángguǎn). Wiktionary also lists 豎笛 / 竖笛 (shùdí) and 黑管 (hēiguǎn).
Meaning: woodwind musical instrument (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 單簧管 / 单簧管 | dānhuángguǎn |
| 豎笛 / 竖笛 | shùdí |
| 黑管 | hēiguǎn |
The term refers to the woodwind musical instrument known as the clarinet.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 單簧管 / 单簧管 (dānhuángguǎn) literally means 'single reed pipe'.
Which one should you use?
單簧管 / 单簧管 is the standard technical term for the instrument. In contrast, 黑管 (hēiguǎn) is a common alternative name, which literally means 'black pipe'. Additionally, 豎笛 / 竖笛 (shùdí) is another way to refer to the instrument.
How do you pronounce it?
dānhuángguǎn
Did you know?
- The character 管 used in 單簧管 is the same character used for 'management' or 'administration' in modern Chinese.
- The term 豎笛 can be ambiguous because it is also frequently used to refer to the flute, which is also a vertical pipe.
- The word 簧 (huáng) in 單簧管 / 单簧管 is also the character used for 'reed' in the context of 'reeds' found in marshlands, showing a linguistic link between the plant and the musical component.
Example sentences for Chinese are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “clarinet” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
