noun
inverted bowl-shaped bell; Buddhist ritual bell
A metal bell shaped like an inverted bowl, struck during sutra recitation in Buddhist ceremonies. The kanji 磬 is specialized and rare.
お坊さんが磬を鳴らしながらお経を読んだ。
The monk chanted sutras while striking the bell.
この寺には古い磬が保存されている。
An old ritual bell is preserved at this temple.
鈴 is a general small bell, often spherical with a clapper, used in various settings. 磬 is specifically an inverted bowl-shaped bell used in Buddhist rituals.
鐘 is a larger hanging bell, such as a temple bell (釣り鐘) or a Western-style bell. 磬 is smaller, bowl-shaped, and rests on a cushion or stand.
The kanji 磬 is composed of 殸 (stone chime) and 石 (stone), originally referring to a stone percussion instrument. The Japanese word きん is a Sino-Japanese reading, likely borrowed from Chinese Buddhist terminology.