noun
small gong (used in gagaku)
A small, high-pitched gong struck with a mallet, used in gagaku (Japanese court music). The reading しょうご is also attested.
See also: 雅楽
雅楽の演奏で、鉦鼓がリズムを刻む。
In a gagaku performance, the shōko marks the rhythm.
Gagaku is the traditional court music in which the 鉦鼓 is used.
The word is of Chinese origin, referring to a small gong. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.