Samisen

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈsæmɪsɛn/

Definitions

1. A Japanese musical instrument featuring three strings and a unique timbre, commonly played in folk traditions and theatrical performances
2. This traditional instrument, often used in storytelling and music, has three strings and is played with a plectrum to produce its distinctive sound
3. A traditional Japanese stringed instrument with three strings, known for its unique sound and often utilized in theatrical performances and folk music

Etymology: The instrument's name is built from three Japanese words, and its literal meaning is "three flavours" or "three tastes" (三 "san", three; 味 "mi", flavour or taste; 線 "sen", string or line). The sense comes from the fact that the instrument has three strings, and the name was applied to it at a time when the first instrument of this kind reached Japan from the Ryukyu Islands, where a related lute was already known. The "sh" spelling and the "s" spelling are two romanisations of the same Japanese word. The Japanese form is 三味線 (shamisen), and the "sh" version is closer to Japanese pronunciation, since the initial consonant is a voiceless "sh" sound, which the "s" spelling simply approximates for English readers. Both forms appear in English texts, and the "samisen" spelling is the older or more informal choice.

Synonyms: shamisen, three-stringed instrument, Japanese lute, musical instrument, folk instrument