A wooden fish (Chinese: 木魚, pinyin: mùyú), (Vietnamese: mõ), (Japanese: mokugyo), (Korean: moktak), sometimes known as a Chinese block, is a wooden percussion instrument similar to the Western wood block. The wooden fish is used by monks and laity in the Mahayana Buddhist tradition. It is often used during rituals usually involving the recitation of sutras, mantras, or other Buddhist texts. The wooden fish is mainly used by Buddhist disciples in China, Japan, Korea, and other East Asian countries where the practice of Mahayana, such as the ceremonious reciting of sutras, is prevalent. In most Zen/Ch'an Buddhist traditions, the wooden fish serves as a signal to start and end a meditation period, as well as to to keep the rhythm of the chant. In Pure Land Buddhism, it is used when chanting the name of Amitabha.
The Taoist clergy has also adapted the wooden fish into their rituals.