摘ring finger outward
Pinyin: zhāi
Right hand, single fingerThe ring finger plucks one string outward. Also the opening motion of running strokes such as gun and lun.
How it is played
Bend the lower joint of the ring finger and keep the upper joint straight; the nail faces outward and flicks the string out. The ring finger is weak, so it needs practice until it is “soft but with strength”. When running across several strings, keep the same posture all the way through.
How it sounds
Gentler than tiao or ti; clear and clean when the force is right.
In the classical handbooks
名指向外出絃曰摘，或連摘二絃，或連摘四絃，緩急隨譜中用。法以名指曲其下節，直其上節，一路摘去為佳。Gist: The ring finger moving outward off the string is called zhai. It may run across two strings or four, slow or fast as the score requires. The method: bend the lower joint of the ring finger, straighten the upper joint, and run through in one movement.
名指向徽彈出曰摘。Gist: The ring finger plucking out toward the hui markers is called zhai.
摘也，名指出曰摘。Gist: Zhai: the ring finger plucks outward.
Easily confused with
- 打dǎ· ring finger inwardBoth use the ring finger: zhai plucks outward, da plucks inward.
References
- 管平湖《古指法考》（北京古琴文化研究会 编，中国书店出版社 2019；据 1963 年中国音乐研究所油印本整理，依《琴用指法》《乌丝栏》《太音大全》《琴书大全》考订古指法）Scholarship