How to Write 箫 (xiāo) — Meaning “vertical bamboo flute”

Imagine the top part 竹 as two bamboo shoots forming the mouthpiece of a flute, and the bottom part 肃 as a person standing solemnly and playing the flute. Together, they remind you of a bamboo vertical flute being played with a serious, elegant posture.

Write the radical 竹 first, making the two halves slim and balanced. The bottom part 肃 is taller than the top, so avoid making the top too large. A common mistake is forgetting the dot stroke inside the bottom component — the last stroke of 肃 is a small dot on the lower right.

箫 means "vertical bamboo flute," with the bottom part 肃 as a phonetic clue. 筀 (guì) is an ancient name for a type of bamboo, and its bottom is 圭 (guī). 筅 (xiǎn) means a bamboo brush, with bottom 先 (xiān). Visually, the bottom components are different, and each has a distinct meaning.

箫 refers to a traditional Chinese vertical bamboo flute used in classical and folk music, often paired with the guqin in ensemble performances. It appears in words like 吹箫 (play the xiao) and 箫声 (sound of the flute). Culturally, the xiao symbolizes elegance and scholarly refinement, and it is still played in traditional music circles today.

Common words containing 箫 include: 吹箫 (chuī xiāo) — to play the xiao (vertical flute); 箫声 (xiāo shēng) — the sound of the flute; 洞箫 (dòng xiāo) — Xiao (a vertical bamboo flute).