八音

Traditional form:

八音

Pinyin (reading):

bāyīn

Definitions:

• ancient classification system for musical instruments, based on the material of which the instrument is made (metal 金, stone 石, clay 土, leather 革, silk 絲／丝, wood 木, gourd 匏, bamboo 竹)
• the eight kinds of sound produced by instruments in these categories
• music

Characters:

• 八 - eight; all around, all sides
• 音 - sound, tone, pitch, pronunciation

Traditional characters:

• 八 - eight; all around, all sides
• 音 - sound, tone, pitch, pronunciation