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弹奏 (tán zòu) — to play (a stringed instrument, typically by plucking or strumming)

Definition

弹奏 emphasizes skillfully performing a piece on a stringed instrument — more formal and musical than the everyday 弹 (tán) 'to play'. It pairs naturally with specific instruments (吉他, 古筝) or with 曲子 ('a piece of music').

verb
to play (a stringed instrument, typically by plucking or strumming)

Examples

  • 弹奏。
    Tā xiǎo shí hou xué guò zěn me tán zòu jí tā.
    He learned how to play the guitar when he was young.
  • ，弹奏。
    Tā zuò zài chuāng qián, tán zòu le yì shǒu dòng rén de qǔ zi.
    She sat by the window and played a moving tune.
  • 弹奏筝？
    Nǐ néng tán zòu gǔ zhēng ma?
    Can you play the guzheng (a Chinese zither)?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

弹tánpluck
奏zòuplay music

弹 and 奏 both refer to producing music, giving the sense of playing a stringed instrument.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 彈; 弹 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
弓弓gōng
Sound part声符shēngfú
單
單dān彈tán
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 彈 pairs 弓 (bow) with the sound part 單; the simplified 弹 is a shorthand.

Open 弹 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape of 奏 pictures hands holding an object, perhaps an instrument used in a ritual, or hands collecting resin dripping from a cut tree.

Open 奏 →
Appears in
Music

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