noun
qin
cheen
Qin (noun) means a traditional Chinese plucked string instrument, most often the seven-stringed guqin. Example: “She played a slow, meditative piece on the qin.”
noun
1
A traditional Chinese plucked string instrument, most often the seven-stringed guqin.
"He makes his qin students take calligraphy with him, and calligraphy and painting students play the qin."
— Dana Standridge, Lessons in Essence: A Novel (2006)
"Knowing that we play the qin, they told us that there was a qin in the teahouse, but only for decoration – no one there actually knew how to play it."
— , Oral history book explores true meaning of tradition by recounting the revival of qin (2016)
"She played a slow, meditative piece on the qin."
2
The short-lived dynasty that first unified China, ruling from 221 to 207 BC.
"The Qin dynasty gave China its name and built the first version of the Great Wall."
How to use qin
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the classical Chinese stringed instrument or the ancient dynasty that unified China.
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Word forms
- Plural
- qins
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She played a slow, meditative piece on the _____.
Etymology
From Mandarin Qín, rendered using the Hanyu Pinyin romanization system; the instrument and the dynasty are unrelated words that happen to romanize the same way.
Synonyms
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Ch'in
Frequently asked questions
What does “qin” mean?
The word “qin” means a traditional Chinese plucked string instrument, most often the seven-stringed guqin. In plain terms, either the classical Chinese stringed instrument or the ancient dynasty that unified China.
How do you pronounce “qin”?
“Qin” is pronounced cheen (/t͡ʃin/ in IPA).
How do you use “qin” in a sentence?
Here is “qin” used in a sentence: “She played a slow, meditative piece on the qin.”
What part of speech is “qin”?
“Qin” is a noun.
How many meanings does “qin” have?
“Qin” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a traditional Chinese plucked string instrument, most often the seven-stringed guqin.
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