Bipa
/ˈbiː.pə/noun
A traditional Korean pear-shaped lute with four strings, historically derived from the Chinese pipa.
Did you know?The bipa is Korea’s historical counterpart to China’s pipa and Japan’s biwa, showing how musical instruments—and their names—migrated across East Asia.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient China
Old Chinese
琵琶
“The name of a fretted, pear-shaped lute; the reading and exact original word history are debated.”
Medieval China
Middle Chinese
pípá
“A prominent plucked lute used in courtly and popular music.”
Three Kingdoms–Goryeo period
Korean
비파
“A Korean adaptation of the Chinese lute, pronounced bipa.”
Joseon period
Korean
비파
“A traditional four-string lute used in Korean court and instrumental music.”
Modern English
English
bipa
“An English loanword for the traditional Korean lute.”