reed
word
/ˈɹid/
reed
/ɹˈiːd/
reed
Definition
A reed is a tall, thin plant that grows in or near water. It can also be a thin piece of cane or similar material used in some musical instruments to produce sound.
Usage & Nuances
Most often, 'reed' refers to the water plant in nature contexts. In music, it has a specific technical meaning in instruments like the clarinet, saxophone, and oboe; common collocations include 'a reed bed' and 'change the reed'. Don't confuse it with 'read'.
Spanish: caña - juncoPortuguese (BR): junco - caniçoPortuguese (PT): junco - caniçoChinese (Simplified): 芦苇 - 簧片Chinese (Traditional): 蘆葦 - 簧片Hindi: सरकंडा - रीड वाद्य की पतली पट्टीArabic: قصب - لسان الآلة الموسيقيةBengali: নল - বাঁশি (বাদ্যযন্ত্রের অংশ)Russian: тростник - язычок (музыкальный инструмент)Japanese: アシ - リード（楽器の部品）Vietnamese: sậy - lưỡi gà (nhạc cụ)Korean: 갈대 - 리드(악기 부품)Turkish: kamış - dil (müzik aleti)Urdu: سرکنڈا - ریڈ (موسیقی کا آلہ)Indonesian: rumput alang-alang - lidah (alat musik)
Example Sentences
A reed was growing by the river.
basic
The duck hid in the reeds.
basic
I need a new reed for my clarinet.
basic
The wind moving through the reeds made a soft, whispering sound.
natural
My sax sounds terrible when the reed is too dry.
natural
We walked along the lake until the path disappeared into the reeds.
natural