柝

A wooden clapper or rattle used by night watchmen as a signal device. In narrative contexts, it typically functions as an auditory marker for the deep night, the transition toward dawn, or the presence of urban security patrols.

Noun: The physical object. Verb: To signal with the rattle or announce the watch.

Frequently appears alongside terms related to time and security, such as 夜 (night), 巡 (patrol), 禁 (curfew), and 守 (guard). It is often used in tandem with bells and drums (鼓) to mark the hours of the night.

Tang-period reading: tɑk.

The percussive nature of the sound—reflected in the Tang-period reading—may be used to evoke a specific atmosphere of civic order or nocturnal interruption.