LIFE / CULTURE
Learning Chinese
Published: Jun 22, 2022 07:20 PM
Chat attack

erhu / 二胡 / (èrhú)

A: I heard you've studied the Chinese folk musical instrument erhu since you were a child. Can you give me an introduction to it? 

听说你从小学习中国民间乐器二胡,你能给我介绍下它吗?

(tīnɡshuō nǐ cónɡxiǎo xuéxí zhōnɡɡuó mínjiān yuèqì èrhú, nǐnénɡ ɡěiwǒ jièshào xià tā ma?)

B: Erhu is a traditional Chinese musical instrument. It originated from the Tang Dynasty, so it has a history of more than 1,000 years.  

二胡是中国传统乐器,它始于唐朝,已有一千多年历史了。

(èrhú shì zhōnɡɡuó chuántǒnɡ yuèqì, tā shǐyú tánɡcháo, yǐyǒu yīqiānduōnián lìshǐ le.)

A: I never expected that its history would be so long. Can you explain what special characteristics erhu has?   

没想到它的历史这么悠久,那你能说说二胡有什么特点吗?

(méixiǎnɡdào tāde lìshǐ zhème yōujiǔ, nànǐ nénɡ shuōshuō èrhú yǒu shenme tèdiǎn ma?)

B: It only has two strings but it can make exquisite music. Additionally, the sound box of a traditional erhu is covered with snake skin. 

它只有两根弦就能弹奏出精妙的乐曲。并且传统的二胡琴筒前的皮是由蛇皮制成的。

(tā zhīyǒu liǎnɡɡēn xián jiùnénɡ tànzòuchū jīnɡmiào delèqǔ.bìnɡqiě chuántǒnɡde èrhú qíntǒnɡ qiánde pí shì yóu shépí zhìchénɡ de.)

A: Can erhu only be used to play Chinese music? 

二胡只能用来演奏中式乐曲吗?

(èrhú zhīnénɡ yònɡlái yǎnzòu zhōnɡshì yuèqǔ ma?)

B: Of course not. One Chinese erhu player has used this instrument to play Western classical music Swan Lake. 

当然不是,有一位中国的二胡演奏家用这个乐器演奏了西方古典音乐《天鹅湖》。

(dānɡrán bùshì, yǒu yīwèi zhōnɡɡuó de èrhú yǎnzòujiā yònɡ zhèɡè yuèqì yǎnzòule xīfānɡ ɡǔdiǎn yīnyuè tiānéhú.)
Illustrations:Liu Xidan/GT

Illustrations:Liu Xidan/GT