laai6籟籁
Jyutpinglaai6
Yalelaaih
Definition
A musical pipe made of bamboo; a sound or noise.
- a bamboo flute or musical pipe
- literarya sound or noise
writtendescriptionsnature
How it's used
This character is almost exclusively found in literary or poetic contexts, particularly in the idiom 天籟, which refers to natural sounds like wind or water. You will rarely encounter it in daily speech, as 聲 or 聲音 are the standard terms for sound. It carries an elegant, artistic connotation that elevates the description of noises beyond mere volume.
Examples
The environment here is very quiet, I cannot hear any sounds at all.
Related words
Common phrases
sounds of nature
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a common noun, but using it in casual conversation will sound overly dramatic or archaic. Stick to 聲 for everyday situations to avoid sounding like you are reciting classical poetry.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
