Chinese Yo-yo Article Index for
Chinese
Website Links For
Chinese
 

Information About

Chinese Yo-yo




Like the Western Yo-yo , it maintains its spinning motion through a Gyroscopic effect based on Conservation Of Angular Momentum .


DESIGN


Chinese yo-yos were traditionally made of Wood . Modern models, however, are usually made of Plastic , though the sticks continue to be made of wood.

Some Chinese yo-yos have grooves inset in the rim of the discs. This causes them to make a whistling sound when spinning at high speed.


CHINESE NAME


There are many names in the Chinese Language for the Chinese yo-yo, for which the Chinese Character s and the Pinyin are given here:

  • 扯鈴 chě líng ("pull bell sound")

  • 中國搖搖 zhōng guó yáo yáo (" Middle Kingdom yo-yo" or "Chinese yo-yo")

  • 響簧 xiǎng huáng ("sound instrument")

  • 斗空竹 dǒu kōng zhú

  • 空竹 kōng zhú



DIABOLO


The Chinese yo-yo is thousands of years old. It has been adapted in the West as the Diabolo . The Chinese yo-yo differs from the diabolo in two primary ways. First, the axle of the Chinese yo-yo is much longer than the axle of the diabolo. Also, the Chinese yo-yo has disc-shaped wheels whereas the diabolo consists of two bell-shapes. For a comparison, see a picture of a Chinese yo-yo here and a picture of a diabolo here .


ALTERNATE USAGE


Another toy named the Chinese Yo-Yo consists of a short stick with a long coil of paper wrapped tightly around one end. Typically the whole device is about 12" long with 4-6" of paper. With a light flick of the wrist, the coil of paper extends out for several feet in the direction of the flick. As the device is moved upright, the coil retracts back to the stick.


EXTERNAL LINKS