Usage note
弹表示弹奏乐器。
tán biǎo shì tán zòu yuè qì。
Play means to play a string instrument.
Context note
弹常用于音乐和乐器。
tán cháng yòng yú yīn yuè hé yuè qì。
Play often appears with music and instruments.
5 examples
他会弹琴。
tā huì tán qín。
He can play the piano.
她弹得很好。
tā tán dé hěn hǎo。
She plays very well.
我想学弹吉他。
wǒ xiǎng xué tán jí tā。
I want to learn to play guitar.
老师在弹钢琴。
lǎo shī zài tán gāng qín。
The teacher is playing the piano.
你会弹什么乐器？
nǐ huì tán shén me yuè qì？
What instrument can you play?
5 mini stories
晚上，他坐在房间里弹琴。
wǎn shàng， tā zuò zài fáng jiān lǐ tán qín。
At night, he sat in the room and played the piano.
她每天练习弹吉他。
tā měi tiān liàn xí tán jí tā。
She practices playing guitar every day.
老师弹了一首很好听的歌。
lǎo shī tán le yì shǒu hěn hǎo tīng de gē。
The teacher played a very nice song.
我想学会弹钢琴。
wǒ xiǎng xué huì tán gāng qín。
I want to learn to play the piano.
音乐课上，大家一起听他弹。
yīn yuè kè shàng， dà jiā yì qǐ tīng tā tán。
In music class, everyone listened to him play.
Mini dialogue
弹钢琴
A
你会弹钢琴吗？
Nǐ huì tán gāngqín ma?
Can you play the piano?
B
我会弹一点，正在学。
Wǒ huì tán yīdiǎn, zhèngzài xué.
I can play a little, I'm learning.
音乐课
A
音乐课上，老师弹吉他给我们听。
Yīnyuè kè shàng, lǎoshī tán jítā gěi wǒmen tīng.
In music class, the teacher played the guitar for us.
B
真好听，我也想学弹吉他。
Zhēn hǎotīng, wǒ yě xiǎng xué tán jítā.
It sounds so nice, I also want to learn to play the guitar.
Related words and contrasts
contrast
拉
lā
to pull; to play (a bowed instrument)
弹 is for plucked or struck string instruments like piano or guitar; 拉 is for bowed instruments like violin.
contrast
吹
chuī
to blow; to play (a wind instrument)
弹 is for string instruments; 吹 is for wind instruments like flute or trumpet.