琵 (pí) - A stringed musical instrument & the first character in the word 'pipa' (琵琶),

琵Tone 2

pí ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

柠七

琵 · pí

A stringed musical instrument;

the first character in the word 'pipa' (琵琶), a traditional Chinese lute.

A stringed musical instrumentthe first character in the word 'pipa' (琵琶),

Usage highlights

Pipa instrumentPlay the pipaPipa musicPipa playerPipa stringsPipa solo

Synonyms

  • 琵琶— Pipa (the instrument itself)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • She plays the pipa (弹琵琶).
  • The pipa is a plucked string instrument (弹拨乐器).
  • A famous pipa piece is 'Ambush from Ten Sides' (十面埋伏).
  • The pipa has a pear-shaped body (梨形音箱).

Collocations

  • Pipa instrument(琵琶)
  • Play the pipa(弹琵琶)
  • Pipa music(琵琶曲)
  • Pipa player(琵琶演奏者)
  • Pipa strings(琵琶弦)
  • Pipa solo(琵琶独奏)

Idioms

  • Strumming the pipa half-hidden(犹抱琵琶半遮面)
  • Plucking the pipa to another tune(琵琶别抱)
  • Playing the pipa to a cow(对牛弹琴)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The pipa has a history of over 2000 years in China and is one of the most iconic traditional Chinese instruments.
  • The character 琵 is almost exclusively used in the word 琵琶 and is rarely seen independently.
  • The instrument is deeply associated with Chinese classical music and literati culture.

FAQ