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笛 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
笛díbamboo flute; whistleHSK 6, nr, 11 strokes, radical ⺮, rank #10414, Hard
笛dífluteHSK 6, unknown, 11 strokes, radical ⺮, rank #10414, Hard
dí(di2) T2
  1. 1bamboo flute; whistle
  2. 2flute
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March 24, 2026

笛dí(di2)

The character 笛 (dí) refers to a type of wind instrument, specifically a bamboo flute or whistle. It is commonly used in Chinese music and can evoke a sense of nostalgia or traditional culture, as it is often associated with folk music and festivals.

Strokes11Radical⺮Frequency#10414DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, the bamboo flute plays an essential role in folk music and is often used in storytelling and performances during festivals, symbolizing harmony with nature.

Memory Tip

Imagine a bamboo flute (笛) that sounds like 'dee' when played. The character has a bamboo radical (竹), representing the material it is made from, and a sound component that hints at the music it produces. Picture a serene scene where a musician plays the flute near a tranquil river.

Meanings of 笛

dí(di2)
1bamboo flute; whistle
2flute
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 笛

笛Simplified
11Strokes
⺮Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateCEFRC1

Podcast: 笛

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Podcast: 笛

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AI Study Notes for 笛

Quick Contrast

笙 (shēng) vs 唢呐 (suǒnà) — choose 笛 for a bamboo flute specifically, while 笙 refers to a mouth-blown reed instrument and 唢呐 is a double-reed horn.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a bamboo flute (笛) that sounds like 'dee' when played. The character has a bamboo radical (竹), representing the material it is made from, and a sound component that hints at the music it produces. Picture a serene scene where a musician plays the flute near a tranquil river.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 笛 with other wind instruments like 哨 (shào), which means whistle. 笛 is more specific to flutes, thus it's important to use it in contexts relating to traditional music. Be aware of the tone, as mispronunciation can lead to different meanings.

HSK Study Tips

Although 笛 is not categorized under the standard HSK levels, it is useful for students interested in Chinese music and culture. Connecting it to other musical terms like 乐器 (yuèqì - musical instrument) can enhance vocabulary retention.

Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, the bamboo flute plays an essential role in folk music and is often used in storytelling and performances during festivals, symbolizing harmony with nature.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 笛 to refer to all types of flutes, including Western concert flutes. For example, saying '我会吹笛' (I can play the flute) without specifying the type can lead to confusion; it's better to use '我会吹竹笛' (I can play the bamboo flute) for clarity.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 笛

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Etymology of 笛

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

A bamboo ⺮ flute 由

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 笛?

Decomposition of 笛

IDS Structure⿱⺮由
笛Full Character
=
⺮zhu2
top
由you2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 笛?

Write 笛

笛

Practice writing 笛 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 笛

笛 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

有些器乐段落谱写得非常优美，尤其是竖琴和长____的部分。

Some of the instrumentation is exquisite, particularly for harp and flute.

Example Sentences for 笛 (10)

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1
有些器乐段落谱写得非常优美，尤其是竖琴和长笛的部分。

yǒu xiē qì lè duàn luò pǔ xiě dé fēi cháng yōu měi， ， yóu qí shì shù qín hé cháng dí de bù。

Some of the instrumentation is exquisite, particularly for harp and flute.
2
远远地能听到风笛的呜咽。

yuǎn yuǎn dì néng tīng dào fēng dí de wū yān。

The wail of the bagpipe could be heard in the distance.
3
汽船向我们嘟嘟鸣笛时，甲板上的水手们饶有趣味地挥着手。

qì chuán xiàng wǒ mén dū dū míng dí shí， ， jiǎ bǎn shàng de shuǐ shǒu mén ráo yǒu qù wèi dì huī zháo。

Steamers tooted at us as sailors on deck waved in amusement.
4
坏天气对上午那些风笛吹奏者毫不容情。

huài tiān qì duì shàng wǔ nà xiē fēng dí chuī zòu zhě háo bù róng qíng。

The weather was unkind to those pipers who played in the morning.
5
他用笛子吹奏一首老曲子.

tā yòng dí zǐ chuī zòu yī shǒu lǎo qū zǐ.

He was playing an old tune on his flute.
6
轮船上的汽笛呜呜叫.

lún chuán shàng de qì dí wū wū jiào.

The ship's whistle kept hooting.
7
汽笛在叫.

qì dí zài jiào.

The steam whistle is blowing.
8
从中传出的笛儿般又细又亮的叫声,也就格外轻松自在了.

cóng zhōng chuán chū de dí ér bān yòu xì yòu liàng de jiào shēng, , yě jiù gé wài qīng sōng zì zài.

Their flute - like warbling became happy and unrestrained.
9
这些汽车听到愈来愈近的警笛声便停了下来.

zhè xiē qì chē tīng dào yù lái yù jìn de jǐng dí shēng biàn tíng le xià lái.

The cars had stopped at the sound of the approaching siren.
10
柏林市民喝香槟、放焰火、鸣车笛。

bǎi lín shì mín hē xiāng bīn、 、 fàng yàn、 huǒ 、 míng。

Berlin people drank champagne, set off fireworks and tooted their car horns.

Cultural Notes for 笛

🏮Cultural insight

In traditional Chinese culture, the bamboo flute plays an essential role in folk music and is often used in storytelling and performances during festivals, symbolizing harmony with nature.

Word Family of 笛

Words Containing This Character12
笛díflute
笛子dízibamboo flute
警笛siren
汽笛steam whistle
鸣笛to hoot鳴笛
长笛(Western) concert flute長笛
风笛bagpipes風笛
笛卡尔René Descartes (1596-1650) French philosopher笛卡爾
羌笛Qiang flute
竖笛recorder豎笛
陶笛ocarina (musical instrument)
吹笛者piper
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 笛 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 笛

笛 refers specifically to flutes, whereas 哨 is a general term for whistles, typically used for signaling.