TongTong
Sign in

弹琴 (tán qín) — to play a stringed or keyboard instrument (such as piano, guitar, etc.)

Definition

弹琴 is a verb-object phrase (离合词): 弹 ('play/pluck') + 琴 ('stringed or keyboard instrument'). It focuses on the action of playing the instrument, not naming one. The verb-object split allows insertion of duration or completion, as in 弹了两个小时的琴.

verb
to play a stringed or keyboard instrument (such as piano, guitar, etc.)

Examples

  • 。
    Tā tán le liǎng gè xiǎo shí de qín.
    He played the instrument for two hours.
  • 弹琴。
    Tā xǐ huan zài wǎn shàng tán qín.
    She likes to play the instrument in the evening.
  • 弹琴。
    tán qín Néng ràng rén kāi xīn.
    Playing an instrument can make people happy.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

弹tánplay
琴qíninstrument

The action 弹 plucking is performed on a 琴 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 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
珡珡qín
Sound part声符shēngfú
今
今jīn琴qín
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

琴 pairs 珡, the part tied to its sense as a stringed instrument, with 今, which gives the sound.

Open 琴 →
Appears in
Music

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.