What does erhu mean?
The erhu is a two-stringed bowed instrument from China and one of the most recognizable voices in Chinese music. Its small cylindrical body is open at the back and covered at the front with python skin, and it rests upright on the player's lap while a bow — whose hair runs permanently between the strings — is drawn across them. With no fingerboard, the player stops the strings in the air, producing a tone often described as haunting, nasal, or vocal, capable of great expressiveness and of imitating the human voice. Known in English since the twentieth century, the erhu features prominently in traditional ensembles, opera accompaniment, modern film scores, and popular music both inside and outside China. For English speakers it serves as the standard reference point for Chinese string playing, much as the violin does in Western music.
nounA Chinese two-stringed bowed musical instrument with a small cylindrical soundbox covered at one end by python skin, held upright on the lap and played vertically. It is the best-known member of the huqin family of Chinese spike fiddles.
- The two-stringed Chinese bowed fiddle with a python-skin soundbox, held on the lap and played vertically.
"She closed her eyes as the erhu's keening melody drifted across the courtyard."
"A lone erhu carried the main theme of the film score."
"He has studied erhu since childhood and performs with a traditional orchestra in Beijing."
The anglicized plural 'erhus' is standard in English; the unmarked form 'erhu' also appears when referring to the instrument generically.
"The ensemble featured two erhus alongside pipa and dizi players."
The erhu's bow hair is trapped permanently between its two strings — the player never lifts the bow off the instrument.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of erhu
The word 'erhu' comes from Mandarin Chinese, where 'er' means 'two' and 'hu' refers to the huqin family of spike fiddles, a name historically associated with the Hu peoples of northern and central Asia. The instrument itself developed from related bowed instruments introduced to China from Central Asia, evolving into its modern form during the Qing dynasty. Related terms such as 'huqin', 'gaohu', and 'zhonghu' denote other members of the same family.
How erhu is actually used
Usually preceded by 'the' in musical contexts ('play the erhu'). The plural is typically 'erhus', though the word is often left unmarked in informal writing.
Easily confused with erhu
The guzheng is a plucked zither with many strings laid flat, whereas the erhu is a two-stringed instrument played with a bow.