ninhao

The yo-yo is a popular kid’s toy that is known throughout the world as well as in China. However, the Chinese yo-yo is a little different from its Western counterpart. The Chinese yo-yo 空竹(kōng zhú) is kept spinning on a string which is tied to the end of two sticks that are held in each hand., Also called a “diabolo” in the West, the Chinese yo-yo has been used both as a children’s toy and as a performance tool while juggling in modern times; furthermore, it is sometimes used in ethnic Chinese dance. It is possible to perform a large variety of tricks with the Chinese yo-yo, which can be as easy as throwing the yo-yo up into the air or tossing it around the user’s back. Some Chinese yo-yos have grooves inset in the rim of the discs; these grooves cause them to make a whistling sound when spinning at high speeds. The sound allows the performer to gauge his speed and adjust the yo-yo accordingly. Playing with the Chinese yo-yo is called 抖空竹(dǒu kōng zhú) in Chinese. Can you play the Chinese yo-yo? Do you want to have a try with it?