曲谱 (qǔ pǔ) — music score, musical notation

Definition

A printed collection of music notation, typically for traditional Chinese instruments or pieces. Use it for a published score book (e.g., a Qing-dynasty collection), not for a single sheet of music (乐谱).

noun
music scoremusical notation
Measure word · 本

Examples

  • 曲谱。
    Tā zhèng zài kàn yì shǒu gǔ qín de qǔ pǔ.
    He is looking at a guqin music score.
  • 曲谱。
    Zhè běn qǔ pǔ shōu lù le qīng dài hěn duō zhù míng de qǔ zi.
    This music score collection includes many famous pieces from the Qing dynasty.
  • 曲谱。
    Xué xí chuán tǒng yuè qì xū yào xiān kàn dǒng qǔ pǔ.
    Learning a traditional instrument requires first understanding musical notation.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

曲qǔtune
谱pǔnotation

曲 names a tune, and 谱 gives its notation.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

曲 is drawn as a bent object, matching the meaning 'bend'.

Open 曲 →

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 譜; 谱 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánsound
Sound part声符shēngfú
普
普pǔ譜pǔ(r)
Same sound today

In the traditional form 譜, 言 relates to sound and 普 gives the pronunciation; this explanation is about 譜, not the simplified 谱.

Open 谱 →

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