samisen

/ˌsæməˈsɛn/

Other forms: samisens

A samisen is a traditional Japanese stringed instrument that resembles a lute.

A samisen, also called a shamisen, has a square, wooden body with three strings. The type of samisen that's played to accompany Kabuki theater has a very long, thin neck. The instrument is often played like a banjo, with a percussive plucking, though it can also be played with a bow like a violin. Samisen is from the Chinese san-hsien, which means "three-strings."

Definitions of samisen

1. noun

   a Japanese stringed instrument resembling a banjo with a long neck and three strings and a fretted fingerboard and a rectangular soundbox; played with a plectrum
   synonyms: shamisen

   type of:

   stringed instrument

   a musical instrument in which taut strings provide the source of sound