Chinese yo-yo
The Chinese yo-yo, marketed in the West as the diabolo (commonly misspelled as diablo), is the Eastern counterpart to the Western yo-yo. It is a traditional Chinese toy consisting of a spool which is whirled and tossed on a string tied to two sticks held one in each hand. It has several Chinese names, including 扯鈴, 中國搖搖, 響簧, 斗空竹, and 空竹.
Some Chinese yo-yos are designed to make a whistling sound when spinning at high speed. They are often used in acrobatic or Chinese ethnic dance performance. The performance of Chinese yo-yos is often considered a form of juggling. A huge variety of tricks are possible using the sticks, string, and various body parts. Multiple diabolos can be spun on a single string.
Chinese yo-yos come in different shapes and materials. Large or heavy yo-yos tend to retain their momentum longer and are easier to use, whereas small or light yo-yos can be thrown higher and are faster to get spinning quickly. Rubber yo-yos are less prone to breakage, and metal yo-yos can be set on fire.
Traditional Chinese diabolos have a long thin axle, with disc-shaped wheels, while the Western adaptation is more cone-shaped. (See the French-language version of this page for more detail.)
Commonly-used Chinese yo-yo terms:
- Suicide - To temporarily let go of either or both sticks and then do a trick and catch them again.
- Grind - To balance the yo-yo on a stick
- Snaps, Burners, Thrusts, Pulls - Methods to accelerate the yo-yo.
- Sun - The yo-yo is pushed round in a large circle.
- Cradle - The line is tangled to form a shape and the yo-yo itself is tossed on or in the shape.
- Whip (catch) - The yo-yo is tossed into air and caught with a whipping motion of the line towards the diabolo
- Orbit - The yo-yo is tossed and caught repeatedly in a circular motion
- Over (bodypart) - Advanced orbits to go around some body part, usually the hand, arm, or leg
- Knot - The line is tangled in a way it creates an illusion that the yo-yo is jammed; it can then be released, usually with an upwards toss motion
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