Wadaiko
/ˌwɑː.daɪˈkoʊ/noun
A traditional Japanese drum, or Japanese drumming generally.
Did you know?Taiko drums have been used in Japanese Buddhist ceremonies, court music, theatrical performance, communication, and warfare, while modern ensemble drumming became especially influential after World War II.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient China
Middle Chinese
和
“Harmony, peace, or the Japanese cultural sphere; this character was later read wa in Japanese.”
Ancient China
Middle Chinese
大鼓
“Great drum; the source of the Sino-Japanese compound daiko/taiko.”
8th Century
Old Japanese
和
“Wa, a term associated with Japan, Japanese identity, or harmony.”
8th–10th Century
Japanese
太鼓 (taiko)
“Drum, literally “great drum”; the initial consonant commonly voices in compounds, producing daiko.”
Modern Japanese
Japanese
和太鼓 (wadaiko)
“Japanese drum or Japanese-style drum, distinguishing it from drums of other traditions.”
20th Century
English
wadaiko
“An English loanword for Japanese drums and, in some contexts, Japanese drumming.”