Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

sanshin

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.15 in modern English

Syllables
san-shin
IPA
10
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A three-stringed instrument of Okinawan origin, the precursor to the shamisen.

Etymology

Borrowed from Japanese 三線 (sanshin) or Okinawan 三線 (sanshin, literally “three strings”). Doublet of sanxian.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Inflected Forms

Questions

What does sanshin mean?
A three-stringed instrument of Okinawan origin, the precursor to the shamisen.
Where does sanshin come from?
It is traced to Japanese.

How to pronounce sanshin

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “sanshin”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “sanshin”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “sanshin” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.