簫 / 箫
xiāo
簫 / 箫 (xiāo) (xiao) is the Chinese term for a Chinese flute. Wiktionary also lists 洞簫 / 洞箫 (dòngxiāo).
Meaning: Chinese flute (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 簫 / 箫 | xiāo |
| 洞簫 / 洞箫 | dòngxiāo |
The term refers to a traditional vertical end-blown flute. In Chinese, the character 小 means "small" or "little" and is used in various combinations such as 小孩 (little child), 小屋 (small house), 小宝贝 (little darling), 小亲爱 (my dear) and 小可爱 (cutie).
Which one should you use?
簫 / 箫 refers specifically to a vertical end-blown flute, which distinguishes it from the 笛 (di), a transverse flute. The term 洞簫 / 洞箫 is a more specific name for this vertical flute, often used to distinguish the standard bamboo version from other types of flutes.
How do you pronounce it?
xiāo
Did you know?
- In traditional Chinese art, the 箫 is frequently paired with the 琴 (guqin zither). This combination symbolizes a deep spiritual harmony and is a common motif in paintings of scholars in nature.
- In traditional Chinese culture, the 箫 is often associated with melancholy or scholarly solitude, unlike the 笛, which is frequently linked to joyful or pastoral scenes.
- The character 簫 is a phono-semantic compound, meaning it uses the character 竹 (bamboo) to indicate its material and the character 肅 to suggest its sound.
Examples in context
- 我今天吃了小龙的蛋糕。I ate Little Dragon's cake today.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “xiao” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 簫, CC BY-SA 4.0.
