Music & Instruments – Chinese Vocabulary

xiǎo liùjiǎo

Small Hexagon

bān zhuō qín

Banjo

gāng piàn qín

Metallophone

dàtíqín

Cello

zhōng qín

Glockenspiel

gǔ fēngqín

Ancient Style Zither

liù jiǎoxíng

Hexagonal Accordion

dīyīn tíqín

Double Bass

huáng fēngqín

Harmonium

jítā

Guitar

shùqín

Harp

èr xián

Erhu

diànzǐqín

Electric Organ

guǎnfēngqín

Pipe Organ

gāngqín

Piano

píngtái gāngqín

Grand Piano

shù xíng gāngqín

Upright Piano

zhēng

Guzheng

pípá

Pipa

zhōngtíqín

Viola

tíqín, xiǎotíqín

Violin

xītǎ qín

Sitar

màn tuó lín

Mandolin

ruǎn qín

Ruan

zhōng ruǎn

Zhongruan

yuèqín

Yueqin

èrhú

Erhu

gāo hú

Gaohu

zìdòng gāngqín

Player Piano

tiě qín, diàn chàn qín

Metallophone, Vibraphone

yángqín

Yangqin

mùqín

Xylophone

shuānghuángguǎn

Oboe

sàkèsī guǎn

Saxophone

cháng hào

Trombone

xiǎo hào

Trumpet

dà hào, dīyīn hào

Trombone, Bass Trombone

suǒnà

Suona

sānjiǎotiě

Triangle

kǒuqín

Harmonica

gǔ yuèqì

Ancient musical instrument

xiányuèqì

String instrument

diànzǐ yuèqì

Electronic instrument

dǎjí yuèqì

Percussion instrument

xiàndài yuèqì

Modern instrument

guǎnyuèqì

Wind instrument

jiànpán yuèqì

Keyboard instrument

xīyáng yuèqì

Western musical instrument

gǔ

Drum

dīyīn gǔ

Bass drum

fàn gǔ

Side drum

yāogǔ

Waist drum

dìngyīngǔ

Timpani

juéshì gǔ

Drum set

líng gǔ

Tambourine

xiǎng xián gǔ

Sistra

sānchóngzòu

Trio

sìchóngzòu

Quartet

èrchóngzòu,

Duo

dúchàng

Solo singing

dúzòu,

Solo performance

dúzòu zhě

Soloist

lǐng zòu zhě

Principal player

lǐngchàng zhě

Lead singer

zuòqǔ jiā

Composer

shùqín shǒu

Harpist

fēng qín shī

Organist

shuānghuángguǎn shǒu

Oboist

yīnyuè huì gāngqín jiā

Concert Pianist

chángdí shǒu

Flutist

yuèduì shǒuxí

Concertmaster

dì yī xiǎotíqín shǒu

First Violinist

hézòu

Ensemble

héchàng

Choir

kèzuò zhǐhuī

Guest Conductor

nán gāoyīn

Tenor

nán dīyīn

Bass

nán zhōng yīn

Baritone

nǚ gāoyīn

Soprano

nǚ dīyīn

Contralto

nǚ zhōng yīn

Mezzo-soprano

héchàng duì zhǐhuī

Choir Conductor

yuèduì zhǐhuī

Orchestra Conductor

bànzòu, bànchàng

Accompaniment, backing vocals

kāng jiā wǔ

Conga dance

tiē miàn wǔ

Face-to-face dance

chá’ěrsī dùn wǔ

Charleston dance

qiàqià wǔ

Cha-cha dance

kǎn kǎn wǔ

Can-can dance

kuòbù wǔ

Stride dance

bō sà nuò fá wǔ

Bossanova dance

bō lái luō wǔ

Bolero dance

jiāojìwǔ

Ballroom dance

ā gē gē

Agogo

dùn zú wǔ

Stomping dance

fāngxíng wǔ

Square dance

líng gēwǔ

Soul dance

sāng bā wǔ

Samba dance

lúnbā wǔ

Rumba dance

yáogǔn wǔ

Rock and roll dance

bō’ěrkǎ wǔ

Polka dance

niǔbǎi wǔ

Swing dance

tītàwǔ

Tap dance

hā sī ěr wǔ

Hassel dance

cǎo qún wǔ

Hula dance

kǎ lǐ pǔ suǒ wǔ

Calypso dance

màn bō wǔ

Mambo dance

lín bō wǔ

Limbo dance

jí tè bā wǔ

Jitterbug dance

dísīkē

Disco

wǔchí

Dance floor

xuánzhuǎn wǔtái

Revolving stage

zhóu zhuàn

Pivot turn

kuàisù xuánzhuǎn

Fast spin

zú gēn zhuǎn

Heel turn

sì fēn zhī yī zhuàn

Quarter turn

cǎisè bōlí qiú

Colored glass ball

wǔmí

Dance fan

dísīkē wǔmí

Disco enthusiast

wǔ nán

Male dancer

wú wǔbàn zhě

Without a dance partner

tuōyī wǔnǚ

Stripper

wǔnǚ

Female dancer

wǔ piào

Dance ticket

tuōyī wǔ

Striptease

lǎodàn

Old female role

dànjué

Female role

wǔdàn

Martial female role

chǒujiǎo

Clown role

shēng jué

Male role

xiǎoshēng

Young male role

wǔshēng

Martial male role

lǎoshēng

Old male role

zhǔjiǎo

Main character

zhèngmiàn juésè

Protagonist

jù míng juésè

Title role

nán zhǔjiǎo

Male lead

nán pèijiǎo

Male supporting role

nǚ zhǔjiǎo

Female lead

nǚ pèijiǎo

Female supporting role

fǎnmiàn juésè

Antagonist

pèijiǎo

Supporting role

cì yào juésè

Minor role

qīngyī

Qingyi (a role type in Chinese opera)

huájīxì

Comic play

hànjù

Han opera

zuò

do/make

chàng

Singing

hùjù

Hu opera

huādàn

Huadan (a young female role in Chinese opera)

huáijù

Huai opera

huī jù

Huizhou opera

tóng jù

Tong opera

zàngxì

Tibetan opera

yáng jù

Yang opera

guó jù

National opera

qián jù

Qian opera

yǎjù

Mime

lìshǐjù

Historical drama

dúmùjù

One-act play

duō mù jù

Multi-act play

xiào jù

Comedy

jīngjù

Peking opera

lǚjù

Lü opera

chàngqiāng

Singing style

huāgǔxì

Flower drum opera

huángméixì

Huangmei opera

guì jù

Gui opera

fèi piào

Invalid ticket

qián pái piào

Front row ticket

hòu pái piào

Back row ticket

zhāodài piào

Complimentary ticket

yīnyuè huì jì piào

Concert season ticket

xì piào

Play ticket

yuán xíng jùchǎng

Arena theater

lùtiān jùchǎng

Open-air theater

zhōngyāng jùchǎng

Central theater

piàofáng

Box office

yīmàojiān

Walk-in closet

huàzhuāng shì

Dressing room

jùchǎng xiūxí tīng

Theater lounge

xìmí

Theater fan

wǔtái jiāndū

Stage manager

fúzhuāng shī

Costume designer

bùjǐng yuán

Set dresser

xìjù pínglùn jiā

Drama critic

shíyàn jùchǎng

Experimental theater

jù zuòjiā

Playwright

wǔměi shèjì shī

Stage designer

piàoyǒu

Amateur theater enthusiast

bēijù yǎnyuán

Tragedy actor

xǐjù yǎnyuán

Comedy actor

yǎjù yǎnyuán

Mime actor

qúnzhòng yǎnyuán

Extras (actors)

wǔtái yǎnyuán

Stage actor

zhuānchǎng yǎnchū

Special performance

chūyǎn

Premiere

jùběn lǎngsòng huì

Script reading session

chū pái

First rehearsal

xièmù

Curtain call

xièmù lǐ

Ovation

zhèngjù

Serious drama

páiliàn

Rehearsal

cǎipái

Rehearsal

yùyǎn

Preview

yǎnchū

Performance

dúbái

Monologue

luòmù

Curtain down

mù luò

Act ends

xǐjù

Comedy

mù qǐ

Curtain rises