吉他

• Pinyin: jí tā
• Hanzi breakdown: 吉 = 士 + 口 (auspicious); 他 = 亻+ 也 (he/other) — characters chosen for phonetic value only

Meaning

Guitar. A stringed musical instrument played by plucking or strumming.

Standard transliteration of 'guitar'. Used for acoustic guitar (木吉他/原声吉他), electric guitar (电吉他), and bass guitar (贝斯吉他). 弹吉他 (play guitar) is the standard verb phrase. Very common in music education and pop culture.

Examples

1. 他从十二岁开始自学吉他，如今已能熟练演奏多种风格的曲目，技艺令人叹服。 He started teaching himself guitar at age twelve, and now he can skillfully perform pieces in many styles—his technique is truly impressive.
2. 乐队的主音吉他手在演唱会上即兴演奏了一段极具感染力的长达五分钟的独奏。 At the concert, the band’s lead guitarist improvised a highly moving five-minute solo.
3. 她将一把旧吉他挂在卧室墙上，既作装饰，也时刻提醒自己坚持音乐创作的初心。 She hung an old guitar on the bedroom wall as decoration and as a constant reminder to stick with the original spirit of making music.

Usage Guide

Context: music, entertainment, education

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 学校的音乐社团新近购置了十把古典吉他，为有意学习吉他的同学提供了充足的练习器材和专业指导。(The school's music club recently purchased ten classical guitars, providing ample practice instruments and professional guidance for students interested in learning guitar.)
• 她在街头弹唱吉他的视频意外走红，吸引了数十万粉丝，最终为她叩开了职业音乐生涯的大门。(Her video of playing and singing guitar on the street unexpectedly went viral, attracting hundreds of thousands of fans and ultimately opening the door to her professional music career.)

Don't Say

• 打吉他 — use 弹吉他; 打 is for percussion or hitting actions, not stringed instruments

Origin & History

Phonetic transliteration of Spanish/English 'guitar'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal