sanxian; Chinese three-stringed lute
Refers to the Chinese sanxian, a three-stringed lute that is the ancestor of the shamisen.
The sanxian is one of the traditional Chinese instruments.
three string instruments of gagaku
In the context of gagaku (Japanese court music), refers collectively to the biwa, wagon, and sou.
three strings; three-stringed instrument
Literal meaning: any instrument with three strings, or the three strings themselves.
This instrument is made up of three strings.
He is good at playing the shamisen.
The three string instruments used in gagaku are the biwa, wagon, and sou.
Standard kanji spelling for the shamisen and related three-stringed instruments.
Alternate kanji spelling using 絃 (string) instead of 弦; less common but still encountered.
A Sino-Japanese term borrowed from Chinese 三弦, literally “three strings,” the name of a three-stringed lute. In Japanese it has also been applied to the shamisen and other three-stringed instruments.