also: しびょうし
quadruple time; four-four time; common time
Music term for a meter with four beats per measure, typically 4/4 time. Used in Western music contexts as well as in traditional Japanese music.
This piece is written in quadruple time.
Dance to the rhythm of four-four time.
the four instruments of noh accompaniment
Specifically refers to the four instruments used in the hayashi ensemble of noh and related traditional theater: flute (笛), floor drum (大鼓), small hand drum (小鼓), and large hand drum (太鼓).
See also: 囃子 (はやし) · 笛 (ふえ) · 大鼓 (おおつづみ) · 小鼓 (こつづみ) · 太鼓 (たいこ)
In noh, the four instruments form the core of the musical accompaniment.
The four-instrument hayashi adds tension to the stage.
Standard kanji spelling; the reading よんびょうし is the most common modern pronunciation.
Alternate reading, less common in modern usage; may appear in older or formal contexts.
Numerical variant, often used in music notation or informal writing.
Compound of 四 (four) and 拍子 (beat, rhythm, time). The reading よんびょうし uses the common kun'yomi for 四 and the standard on'yomi for 拍子. The alternate reading しびょうし uses the on'yomi for 四, which is less frequent in modern speech.