How to Write 龠 (yuè) — Meaning “Yue (an ancient flute-like instrument)”

Picture a person blowing into a set of bamboo pipes — the top is the mouth, the middle lines are the pipes, and the bottom is the hands. This image of a pan flute helps you recall that 龠 means an ancient flute.

With 17 strokes, 龠 requires careful balance: keep the top narrow, space the middle vertical strokes evenly, and make the bottom wide. A common mistake is making the top too large or the vertical strokes uneven.

吹龠 means 'to play the yue' and 龠管 refers to the pipe of this instrument. These terms appear in historical discussions of ancient music, classical texts, or museum descriptions, not in daily conversation.

龠 is very rare in modern Chinese, appearing only in historical or archaeological contexts about ancient music. You might encounter it in a museum exhibit on ancient instruments or in a classical calligraphy piece.

Common words containing 龠 include: 龠 (yuè) — Yue (an ancient flute-like instrument); 吹龠 (chuī yuè) — to play the yue (ancient flute); 龠管 (yuè guǎn) — Yue pipe (ancient flute).