笛 means “flute, whistle”

ふえ · fue

Also: clarinet, pipe

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

ふえ

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

テキ

Taught in grade 3 · 11 strokes

The story

Bamboo (竹) channeling the origin of sound (由): the Japanese 笛 transforms breath into melody through hollow bamboo. The 尺八 (shakuhachi) bamboo flute was played by wandering Zen monks, its haunting tones considered a form of meditation.

Used in 笛吹き (fuefuki, flute player), 横笛 (yokobue, transverse flute), and 草笛 (kusabue, grass whistle)

More from Music & Arts

• 鼓 drum
• 音 sound
• 曲 melody
• 唱 chant
• 演 perform
• 芸 art
• 美 beauty
• 歌 song
• 楽 music
• 踊 dance
• 奏 play (music)
• 劇 drama

Learn 笛 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.