How to write 筝

筝 [zhēng] 1. A stringed instrument, long and wooden. In ancient times, it had thirteen or sixteen strings, but now it has twenty-five strings. 2. 【Definition】: A plucked string instrument resembling the se (a type of zither). The zheng has been popular in the Qin region since the Warring States period, hence it is also called "Qin zheng" (秦筝). 3. 【Character Formation】: Phono-semantic compound. The character consists of the element for bamboo (竹) and the element for sound (争), relating to musical instruments. 4. 【References】: 1. In "Shuo Wen": The zheng is a bamboo-bodied instrument that plays sounds by plucking strings. 2. In "Yu Lan", citing "Shuo Wen": The zheng is a five-stringed instrument made of bamboo. 3. In "Chu Ci · Min Ming": "Holding the zheng and plucking it", with a note saying "A small zither." 4. In "Ji Jiu Pian": "Yus, se, and other empty-harmonic instruments alongside the zheng." 5. 【Examples】: - Zheng ren (筝人): a person who plays the zheng. - Zheng ruan (筝阮): refers to both the Qin zheng and the Ruanxian, which are two ancient plucked string instruments. - Zheng ji (筝妓): a performer who plays the zheng. - Zheng zhu (筝柱): the string post on the zheng.