Usage note
琴表示乐器，常指钢琴或古琴。
qín biǎo shì yuè qì， cháng zhǐ gāng qín huò gǔ qín。
Stringed instrument/piano means a musical instrument, often referring to piano or guqin.
Context note
琴常出现在音乐、学习和表演里。
qín cháng chū xiàn zài yīn yuè 、 xué xí hé biǎo yǎn lǐ。
Qín often appears in music, study, and performances.
5 examples
我学琴。
wǒ xué qín。
I learn piano.
她会弹琴。
tā huì tán qín。
She can play the piano.
琴很大。
qín hěn dà。
The piano is big.
我听到琴声。
wǒ tīng dào qín shēng。
I hear the sound of the piano.
老师教我们看琴谱。
lǎo shī jiào wǒ men kàn qín pǔ。
The teacher teaches us to read sheet music.
5 mini stories
姐姐每天都练琴。
jiě jie měi tiān dōu liàn qín。
My older sister practices the piano every day.
我听到房间里传来琴声。
wǒ tīng dào fáng jiān lǐ chuán lái qín shēng。
I heard the sound of the piano coming from the room.
老师说学琴要有耐心。
lǎo shī shuō xué qín yào yǒu nài xīn。
The teacher said learning piano requires patience.
这架琴放在客厅里。
zhè jià qín fàng zài kè tīng lǐ。
This piano is placed in the living room.
我第一次摸到琴的时候，觉得很新鲜。
wǒ dì yī cì mō dào qín de shí hòu， jué de hěn xīn xiān。
When I touched the piano for the first time, it felt very new.
Mini dialogue
学琴
A
你学琴多久了？
Nǐ xué qín duōjiǔ le?
How long have you been learning the instrument?
B
我学琴两年了，每天都会练习半小时。
Wǒ xué qín liǎng nián le, měitiān dōu huì liànxí bàn xiǎoshí.
I've been learning the instrument for two years, and I practice for half an hour every day.
喜欢弹琴
A
你为什么喜欢弹琴？
Nǐ wèishénme xǐhuān tán qín?
Why do you like playing the instrument?
B
因为琴的声音很好听，让我感到快乐。
Yīnwèi qín de shēngyīn hěn hǎotīng, ràng wǒ gǎndào kuàilè.
Because the sound of the instrument is very beautiful and makes me feel happy.
Related words and contrasts
similar
钢琴
gāng qín
piano
A common type of 琴
similar
小提琴
xiǎo tí qín
violin
Another stringed instrument