Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
琵琶 (びわ, biwa) Japanese meaning: biwa | Kotomora
じ 字
Kanji 琵 glissando on strings, lute Related words 三味線 is a three-stringed square-bodied lute played with a plectrum, more common in folk and theater music, whereas 琵琶 is a short-necked lute traditionally used for narrative storytelling.
琴 is a long zither with movable bridges played with finger picks, quite different in shape and technique from the lute-like 琵琶.
Report an issue with this page
She played the biwa while telling an old tale.
もの
〉
を
奏かな
でる
to play/perform (the biwa), often with artistic nuance
The biwa priest played the biwa in accompaniment to the tale.
Don't confuse with 三味線 has a long neck and square body, whereas 琵琶 is a short-necked, pear-shaped lute often used for narrative music.
琵琶 is a short-necked pear-shaped lute strummed like a guitar, whereas 琴 is a long flat zither plucked string by string.
Word family· 9 gakubiwa; large 4-stringed biwa used in gagaku
biwa song; Song of the Lute
Biwa oily gudgeon
Biwa trout; Biwa salmon
Heike biwa; Heike lute · Heike chanting with biwa accompaniment
Show 4 more biwa (4 or 5-stringed Oriental lute)
biwa-playing minstrel; lute priest
biwa-bokuboku; yōkai with a biwa head
Satsuma biwa; Satsuma lute
Written forms 琵び 琶わ Usage 85%
Standard kanji spelling for the instrument.
びわ Usage 15%
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing and for learners.
Etymology The word びわ is derived from the Chinese pipa (琵琶), a similar pear-shaped lute. The instrument was introduced to Japan from China around the 7th–8th centuries.
