woodblock

Wooden percussion instrument. There are two types: the Chinese block and the temple block. The Chinese block is a rectangular block of hardwood that has been hollowed out with one or two slots cut in it. It is struck with a beater to produce a hollow sound of indefinite pitch. The temple block is a hollowed-out block of hardwood with a wide slot and is often pear-shaped. It is made in various sizes and is often used in a set of five or more. It is struck with a beater to produce a note of definite pitch that is lower and more mellow than the Chinese block.

The Chinese block can be heard in the hoedown from Aron Copland's Rodeo (1942).