kam4琴
Jyutpingkam4
Yalekàhm
Definition
A general name for certain musical instruments, typically stringed or keyboard instruments.
colloquialother
How it's used
Refers specifically to keyboard instruments like the piano when used alone, though it historically denotes stringed instruments like the guqin. In modern daily speech, 彈琴 is the standard way to say playing the piano. When referring to other instruments that share the character, such as 口琴, the specific prefix is always required.
Measure word
bou6部bouhExamples
He loves playing the piano and practices for a few hours every day.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse 彈琴 with playing other instruments that do not use the keyboard, as 彈 is specifically for plucking or striking strings or keys. For wind instruments like the harmonica, use 吹 instead of 彈.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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Connector
Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
