Word

琴 (qín) — Chinese word meaning

HSK 4

Meaning of 琴

名 míng noun

musical instrument; stringed instrument

她会弹琴。

tā huì tán qín

She can play a musical instrument.

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Word breakdown

琴 qín — musical instrument; stringed instrument

1 钢琴 gāng qín — piano HSK 4
- 钢 steel (referring to the steel strings)
- 琴 stringed instrument; keyboard instrument
Example

她每天都练习钢琴。

tā měi tiān dōu liàn xí gāng qín

She practices piano every day.
2 对牛弹琴 duì niú tán qín — to cast pearls before swine HSK 7
- 对 toward/to (indicates the target or recipient)
- 牛 cow/ox (the uncomprehending audience in the metaphor)
- 弹 to play (a stringed instrument)
- 琴 stringed instrument/lute (the refined art being wasted)
Example

你跟他讲这些高深的理论，简直是对牛弹琴。

nǐ gēn tā jiǎng zhè xiē gāo shēn de lǐ lùn jiǎn zhí shì duì niú tán qín

Explaining these profound theories to him is like casting pearls before swine.
3 小提琴 xiǎo tí qín — violin HSK 7
- 小 small (indicating smaller size compared to other string instruments)
- 提 to lift/hold up (describing how the instrument is held while playing)
- 琴 stringed instrument (general category of musical instrument)
Example

我妹妹正在拉小提琴。

wǒ mèi mei zhèng zài lā xiǎo tí qín

My younger sister is playing the violin.
4 琴棋书画 qín qí shū huà — music, chess, calligraphy and painting (the four arts) HSK 7
- 琴 musical instrument (specifically the guqin, a Chinese zither)
- 棋 board games (specifically weiqi/Go)
- 书 calligraphy (the art of beautiful writing)
- 画 painting (the art of creating visual images)
Example

他精通琴棋书画，是个全才。

tā jīng tōng qín qí shū huà shì gè quán cái

He is proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting; he is a true polymath.

Structure & writing

1 琴 qín — guqin, a plucked string instrument made of paulownia wood, originally with five strings, later seven

琴 is not used as a component in any other character.

consists of

1.1 王 wáng — monarch; supreme ruler

王 is a component in 33 characters

HSK 1

玩 wán to play (a game) 现 xiàn to appear; to show; to manifest 班 bān a group organized for work or study

HSK 2

望 wàng to look, to look into the distance 球 qiú sphere (geometric solid equidistant from center to all surface points)

HSK 3

丢 diū to lose; to misplace 主 zhǔ owner; one who possesses property or power 环 huán ring-shaped object 理 lǐ to govern; to manage; to administer

HSK 4

琴 qín guqin, a plucked string instrument made of paulownia wood, originally with five strings, later seven

HSK 5

润 rùn to moisten; to add oil or water to prevent dryness 狂 kuáng mentally deranged; insane; mad 玉 yù jade; a fine-grained, hard, lustrous mineral used for ornaments and carvings 玫 méi (lit.) a type of beautiful stone or jade 玻 bō see "玻璃": a hard, brittle, transparent material with no fixed melting point, made by melting quartz sand, limestone, soda ash, etc. at high temperature

Show more HSK 5 characters (+3)

珍 zhēn treasure; precious thing 瑰 guī (lit.) a jade-like stone 璃 li see '玻璃': ① hard, brittle transparent material (glass); ② glass-like plastic

HSK 6

呈 chéng to take on (a form, color, or state); to appear as 珠 zhū pearl (also written 真珠), a lustrous spherical gem formed inside certain freshwater or marine mollusks, used in medicine and as an ornament 皇 huáng monarch; emperor

HSK 7

噩 è frightful and ominous; horrifying and inauspicious 斑 bān spots or stripes of a contrasting color 旺 wàng prosperous; flourishing; (of fire) blazing fiercely 枉 wǎng crooked, bent; referring to error or deviation 汪 wāng (lit.) deep and vast (of water)

Show more HSK 7 characters (+7)

琐 suǒ trivial, trifling, petty 琢 zuó to ponder repeatedly; to mull over (见"琢磨") 瑕 xiá flaw or blemish in jade; fig. defect or shortcoming 瑞 ruì auspicious omen; good luck 璀 cuǐ (lit.) bright and brilliant in color 璨 càn (lit.) fine jade 碧 bì (lit.) blue-green jade

1.2 王 wáng — monarch; supreme ruler

王 is a component in 33 characters

HSK 1

玩 wán to play (a game) 现 xiàn to appear; to show; to manifest 班 bān a group organized for work or study

HSK 2

望 wàng to look, to look into the distance 球 qiú sphere (geometric solid equidistant from center to all surface points)

HSK 3

丢 diū to lose; to misplace 主 zhǔ owner; one who possesses property or power 环 huán ring-shaped object 理 lǐ to govern; to manage; to administer

HSK 4

琴 qín guqin, a plucked string instrument made of paulownia wood, originally with five strings, later seven

HSK 5

润 rùn to moisten; to add oil or water to prevent dryness 狂 kuáng mentally deranged; insane; mad 玉 yù jade; a fine-grained, hard, lustrous mineral used for ornaments and carvings 玫 méi (lit.) a type of beautiful stone or jade 玻 bō see "玻璃": a hard, brittle, transparent material with no fixed melting point, made by melting quartz sand, limestone, soda ash, etc. at high temperature

Show more HSK 5 characters (+3)

珍 zhēn treasure; precious thing 瑰 guī (lit.) a jade-like stone 璃 li see '玻璃': ① hard, brittle transparent material (glass); ② glass-like plastic

HSK 6

呈 chéng to take on (a form, color, or state); to appear as 珠 zhū pearl (also written 真珠), a lustrous spherical gem formed inside certain freshwater or marine mollusks, used in medicine and as an ornament 皇 huáng monarch; emperor

HSK 7

噩 è frightful and ominous; horrifying and inauspicious 斑 bān spots or stripes of a contrasting color 旺 wàng prosperous; flourishing; (of fire) blazing fiercely 枉 wǎng crooked, bent; referring to error or deviation 汪 wāng (lit.) deep and vast (of water)

Show more HSK 7 characters (+7)

琐 suǒ trivial, trifling, petty 琢 zuó to ponder repeatedly; to mull over (见"琢磨") 瑕 xiá flaw or blemish in jade; fig. defect or shortcoming 瑞 ruì auspicious omen; good luck 璀 cuǐ (lit.) bright and brilliant in color 璨 càn (lit.) fine jade 碧 bì (lit.) blue-green jade

1.3 今 jīn — the present; modern times (as opposed to 古 or 昔)

今 is a component in 5 characters

HSK 4

琴 qín guqin, a plucked string instrument made of paulownia wood, originally with five strings, later seven

HSK 5

含 hán hold something in the mouth without swallowing or spitting 念 niàn to miss; to think of constantly

HSK 7

吟 yín to chant or recite with a cadence 贪 tān to embezzle; to corruptly take money or property for oneself

Stroke order