Chinese word

小提琴

Pronunciation

Pinyinxiǎo tí qín

Meaning

  • nounviolin

Example

我每天在家练习小提琴。wǒ měi tiān zài jiā liàn xí xiǎo tí qín

I practice the violin at home every day.

Illustration for 小提琴 (violin)

More examples

他从小就开始学小提琴。tā cóng xiǎo jiù kāi shǐ xué xiǎo tí qín

He started learning the violin at a young age.

Core concept

A compact bowed instrument that turns a bow's movement across strings into a clear, singing melody.

Common phrases

  • 学小提琴xué xiǎo tí qín

    learn the violin

  • 练习小提琴liàn xí xiǎo tí qín

    practice the violin

  • 演奏小提琴yǎn zòu xiǎo tí qín

    play the violin

Similar words

提琴tí qín: A casual spoken term for a string instrument played by moving a bow across its strings.
中提琴zhōng tí qín: A slightly larger Western bowed string instrument with a lower sound range.
大提琴dà tí qín: A large bowed string instrument played seated and held against the body, with a deep, low sound.
二胡èr hú: A traditional Chinese bowed string instrument with two strings.

Definition in Chinese

一种用弓拉动弦发声的西洋旋律弦乐器，体积较小，常用于独奏和伴奏。yì zhǒng yòng gōng lā dòng xián fā shēng de xī yáng xuán lǜ xián yuè qì tǐ jī jiào xiǎo cháng yòng yú dú zòu hé bàn zòu

Word origin

小 (xiǎo, "small") + 提琴 (tíqín, "bowed-string instrument") form 小提琴 (xiǎotíqín, "violin"), with 小 identifying the smaller instrument in this group.

Usage tips

  • In Chinese, playing it uses 拉 (lā, "draw or pull"), while 弹 (tán, "pluck or play") is common for instruments such as the guitar or piano.

Related words

  • 小提琴家xiǎo tí qín jiāviolinistnoun
  • 小提琴作品xiǎo tí qín zuò pǐnviolin piecenoun
  • 小提琴独奏xiǎo tí qín dú zòuviolin solonoun

Word lists with this word