Sanxian
/sān-ɕjɛ́n/noun
A Chinese three-stringed long-necked lute with a snakeskin-covered resonator.
Did you know?The sanxian’s resonator is traditionally covered with snakeskin, giving its plucked sound an unusually sharp, dry, almost speech-like quality.
Etymological Timeline
Old Chinese, c. 1000–200 BCE
Old Chinese
三弦
“A compound meaning “three strings”; the characters refer directly to the instrument’s construction.”
Middle Chinese, c. 600–900 CE
Middle Chinese
三弦
“The written form used for a three-stringed plucked instrument; pronunciation differed from modern Mandarin.”
Ming Dynasty, 14th–17th Century
Chinese
三弦
“A recognized long-necked lute used in Chinese musical and theatrical traditions.”
19th Century
Mandarin
sānxián
“Modern Mandarin pronunciation of the compound meaning “three strings.””
20th Century
English
sanxian
“An English loanword for the Chinese three-stringed lute.”