Huqin
/ˈhuːtʃɪn/noun
A family of Chinese bowed string instruments, typically having a small resonating body and two strings.
Did you know?The word Hu historically referred broadly to non-Han peoples north and west of China, so huqin preserves an ancient cultural memory of musical exchange across China’s frontiers.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Chinese
Chinese
胡
“Hu; a broad historical term for non-Han peoples, especially those associated with northern and western frontiers”
Ancient Chinese
Chinese
琴
“A stringed musical instrument; originally associated especially with the zither later called the guqin”
Medieval Chinese
Chinese
胡琴
“A bowed string instrument associated by name with the Hu peoples”
17th–19th Century
Chinese
胡琴
“A general name for several Chinese spike-fiddle instruments”
20th Century
English
huqin
“A Chinese family of bowed string instruments, including the erhu, gaohu, and zhonghu”