吉他
jítā
The English word "guitar" is 吉他 (jítā) in Chinese. Wiktionary also lists 六弦琴 (liùxiánqín).
Meaning: musical instrument (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 吉他 | jítā |
| 六弦琴 | liùxiánqín |
The term refers to the musical instrument. When speaking about playing the guitar, the verb 弹 (tán) is used because it is specifically used for instruments that are plucked or strummed.
Which one should you use?
吉他 is the standard term, while 六弦琴 can also be used to refer to the instrument.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Cantonese, the word for guitar is 結他.
How do you pronounce it?
jítā
Did you know?
- In Chinese, the verb 弹 (tán) is used for the 吉他 but cannot be used for a violin, which uses 拉 (lā) because it is bowed.
- The term for 吉他 in Taiwanese Hakka and Hokkien was not borrowed directly from English, but arrived via the Japanese word ギター (gitā).
- The character 吉 in 吉他 typically carries a positive meaning related to 'auspicious' or 'lucky', though here it is used only for its sound.
Examples in context
- 這是誰的吉他？Whose guitar is this?This sentence is useful for asking about the ownership of a 吉他.Tatoeba #1949494 by egg0073, translation #516630 by kebukebu
- 你們彈吉他嗎？Do you play the guitar?This sentence is useful for asking if someone plays the 吉他.Tatoeba #3739164 by egg0073, translation #2050572 by CK
- 这把吉他是谁的？Who does this guitar belong to?This sentence is useful for asking who the owner of a 吉他 is.Tatoeba #806125 by GlossaMatik, translation #508788 by darinmex
- 我喜欢弹吉他。I like playing the guitar.
- 他是一个吉他手。He is a guitarist.
- 我要去乐器店买一把吉它。I'm going to the music store to buy a guitar.
- 61 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A music shop in a shopping mall.
- 梓涵 Zihan你想买一把吉他吗？Nǐ xiǎng mǎi yī bǎ jítā ma?Do you want to buy a guitar?
- 志强 Zhiqiang我想买，但我不会弹吉他。Wǒ xiǎng mǎi, dàn wǒ bù huì tán jítā.I want to, but I cannot play the guitar.
- 梓涵 Zihan这把吉他很有名。Zhè bǎ jítā hěn yǒumíng.This guitar is very famous.
- 志强 Zhiqiang那我去试试看。Nà wǒ qù shìshì kàn.Then I will go give it a try.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “guitar” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 吉他, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
