How to Say "Piano" in Chinese

钢琴

gāngqín

In Mandarin, piano is 钢琴 (gāngqín).

The word refers to the keyboard musical instrument. When you want to say you are playing the piano, you should use the verb 弹 (tán).

Meaning: a keyboard musical instrument (noun)

What does it mean word for word?

The word is composed of two parts: 钢 (gāng), which means 'steel' and 琴 (qín), which refers to a 'stringed instrument' or 'musical instrument'.

In Singapore, 钢琴 is the primary term used to refer to a piano. In Taiwan, the term 鋼琴 is used.

gāngqín

Avoid using the verb 拉 (lā) to describe playing the piano, as 拉 is reserved for bowed instruments like the violin. Instead, use 弹 (tán).

In a musical context, the verb 弹 (tán) can also mean 'to snap' one's fingers, showing how a single verb covers both a musical action and a physical gesture.
While 琴 is the standard suffix for many keyboard and stringed instruments, it originally referred specifically to the ancient seven-stringed zither.
While the term is similar in mainland China and Singapore, you will notice a subtle spelling difference in Taiwan, where the character for 'steel' is written as 鋼 in the traditional script.

男孩在弹钢琴。
The boy plays the piano.
This sentence shows how to use 钢琴 to describe a boy playing the instrument.
Tatoeba #7781675 by jiangche, translation #2431665 by AlanF_US
她每天都弹钢琴。
She plays the piano every day.
This sentence illustrates the use of 钢琴 when discussing a daily habit of playing.
Tatoeba #726731 by CLARET, translation #322394 by CK
我听说你弹钢琴。
I hear that you play the piano.
This sentence demonstrates how to mention someone's ability to play 钢琴.
Tatoeba #1358716 by sadhen, translation #69786 by CK
我喜欢演奏钢琴。
I enjoy playing the piano.
她正在练习弹琴。
She is practicing playing the piano.
你会弹钢琴吗？
Can you play the piano?
他在家里有一架钢琴。
He has a piano at home.
45 more sentences on Tatoeba

志强 and 晓雯 are looking at a music store window.

佳怡 Jiayi

这架钢琴很漂亮。
Zhè jià gāngqín hěn piàoliang.
This piano is very beautiful.
志强 Zhiqiang

我想买一架钢琴。
Wǒ xiǎng mǎi yī jià gāngqín.
I want to buy a piano.
佳怡 Jiayi

你想学弹钢琴吗？
Nǐ xiǎng xué tán gāngqín ma?
Do you want to learn to play the piano?
志强 Zhiqiang

是的，我很有兴趣。
Shì de, wǒ hěn yǒu xìngqù.
Yes, I am very interested.

Sources

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