Which Chinese instrument is a pear-shaped plucked lute traditionally made with silk strings?

• A. Pipa
• B. Erhu
• C. Maqam System
• D. Kabuki

Answer: (A)

A pear-shaped, plucked Chinese lute with silk strings is the pipa. The body’s distinctive shape and the long fretted neck identify it, and it’s played by plucking the strings with the right hand while the left hand frets and accents notes to produce expressive tone and ornaments. Silk strings point to its traditional construction, though modern versions may use synthetic materials as well. This distinguishes it from the erhu, which is a slender, two-stringed instrument played with a bow, not plucked. The Maqam System is a Middle Eastern melodic framework rather than an instrument, and Kabuki refers to a Japanese theater form with its own musical elements, not a single instrument.