HanziGuru.琴 · qín
琴
qín[qin2]Tone 2

musical instrument / guqin

HSK 5
Multiple Readings (多音字):
Guru Deep Dive

English · musical instrument / guqin

Cached lesson
1 / 1
Topology:Top-bottom
Strokes:12
Writing Balance Rule: The upper twin '王' components must be balanced and compact side-by-side, while the lower '今' base forms a sturdy foundation supporting the top.
1. Meaning

musical instrument, specifically the traditional Chinese guqin zither

general term for stringed musical instruments in classical compounds
NounFormal / LiteraryBound morpheme#music#culture#arts
Sample Usage
  • 弹琴
    tán qín
    to play a stringed instrument / to play the piano or zither
  • 古琴
    gǔ qín
    guqin (traditional 7-string zither)
2. Sound
/[tɕʰin³⁵]/Tone: 35
琴
qínqin2
++
´(35)
=qín
Initial Consonant
q
Type: Aspirated Alveolo-Palatal
Sounds like: ch sound (alveolo-palatal affricate)
Aspirated
Airflow Tactile Test: Extremely strong burst of breath! Tissue held before mouth MUST fly.
Tongue & Mouth Position: Blade of the tongue touches the hard palate, releasing a burst of air.
Final Rhyme
in
Vowel Group: -i vowel group
Sounds like: -een sound (rhymes with bean)
Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'een'.
Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.
Tone
T2 (35)
2nd Tone (Mid-Rising)
Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 2 starts at a mid-pitch (3) and rises sharply to the top (5), matching an inquisitive English 'Huh?' or 'What?'
Sandhi: When followed by another Tone 2, qín shifts to a higher rising pitch pattern before dropping into the next tone.
👂
Listening trap: Confusing the aspirated q- initial with j- or zh-. Remember that q is strongly aspirated, producing a puff of air.
👋
Physical Tone Gesture: Raise your hand upward from middle to high, just like raising your voice in disbelief when asking 'Really?'
3. Writing

Topology: Top-bottom · Strokes: 12 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: The upper twin '王' components must be balanced and compact side-by-side, while the lower '今' base forms a sturdy foundation supporting the top.

4. Components

Radical 王 · Jade / King Radical (jade or precious material)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 今 (provides the phonetic clue and hint of the present moment of musical performance)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 今 (original sound: jīn / qín sound family)

Two king/jade pieces (王王) sitting above the present moment (今), representing a precious stringed instrument crafted from fine materials played right now.

  • 王 jade / precious material
  • 王 jade / precious material
  • 今 now / present
5. History
Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Originally depicted the strings and body of an ancient zither. Over time, the character evolved to include jade-like components (王) to signify a precious instrument, paired with a phonetic indicator (今).

Semantic Evolution: From a specific depiction of an ancient stringed instrument to a general morpheme for musical instruments.

  • The guqin is traditionally associated with scholars, sages, and self-cultivation in ancient China.
6. Sinosphere
🇻🇳
Sino-Vietnamese
cầm
Mandarin rising tone (Tone 2) corresponds roughly to the Vietnamese hỏi or huyền tone depending on historical borrowings, here rendered with the lower dipping/accompanying register.
🇯🇵
Kanji (Japanese)
On: キン / Kun: きん
🇰🇷
Hanja (Korean)
금
7. Memory
Vivid Mnemonic Story

Two precious jade blocks (王王) placed in front of you RIGHT NOW (今) create a magical musical zither (琴) that plays a charming CHIN tune when touched.

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
吟
yínto chant / humAdd mouth radical (口) on the left to indicate chanting or singing.
鹒
gēngorioleAdd bird radical (鸟) on the right for bird species.
Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)
含(hán)
Contains a mouth (口) under the roof instead of the twin jade-king pieces (王王).
8. Mastery
Active Recall Challenge
他非常喜欢弹[___]。
Clue: qín
Common Learner Pitfall

Forgetting the double jade radical on top or misplacing the bottom component '今' inside the character layout.

Memory Prompts
Recognition: When you see 琴, what is its primary meaning and sound?
Production: How do you write the character for musical instrument/guqin with 12 strokes?
Real-World Video Context

Watch authentic native speakers pronounce and explain this word in real-world YouTube videos.

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琴qínmusical instrument / guqin
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