大おお鼓つづみ

also: おおかわ

お

つ

づ

み

Meanings

large hand drum

A large Japanese hand drum used in traditional music such as gagaku and noh. Played with the hand, not sticks. The reading おおつづみ is more common, but おおかわ is also used.

雅が楽がくでは、大おお鼓つづみが独どく特とくのリズムを刻きざむ。
In gagaku, the large hand drum marks a distinctive rhythm.
能のう楽がく師しが大おお鼓つづみを打うつ姿すがたは迫はく力りょくがある。
The sight of a noh performer striking the large hand drum is powerful.

Kanji

大large, big
鼓drum, beat, rouse
革leather, skin, reform

Don't confuse with

鼓つづみ
大鼓 is the larger hand drum held at the hip and struck with a harder sound than 鼓 used unqualified, so learners should not assume 鼓 always means this bigger drum.

Built from

大おお+鼓つづみ

Written forms

大鼓Usage100%
- おおつづみ
  Standard kanji spelling for the large hand drum used in gagaku and noh.
- おおかわ
大おお革かわ
Alternate kanji spelling using 革 (leather), emphasizing the drum's material. Rarely used.
おおかわ
Kana spelling for the reading おおかわ, which is also a valid reading for this instrument.

Etymology

The word combines 大 (large) and 鼓 (drum). The reading つづみ is the native Japanese word for hand drum, while かわ refers to the leather skin of the drum. The exact historical derivation of the dual readings is uncertain.