The sáo (also called sáo trúc, pronounced [ʂǎːw ʈʂǔkp]) is a small transverse flute used in the traditional music of Vietnam. The instrument has a slender cylindrical body that is typically made of bamboo, although it may also be made of hardwood (which is often inlaid with intricate mother-of-pearl designs). It usually has one blowing hole and six finger holes, although in the 20th century some players have added four extra holes to allow for the production of semitones.[1]
The sáo is used in the folk music of the Viet majority as well as in the music of the former royal court music of Huế.
The Sino-Vietnamese adjective trúc derives from the Chinese word zhú (竹), meaning "bamboo."