Etymology

Borrowed from a language in the Western Regions during the Han Dynasty. Compare Persian بربط‎‎ ‎(barbat, “barbat; lute”), Ancient Greek βάρβιτος ‎(bárbitos, “barbitos; ancient stringed instrument”).

Both characters were initially non-checked tone characters. Reborrowed during the Tang Dynasty from a source that more closely resembles the modern Persian name of the instrument, and both characters were read as if they have checked codas. The original non-checked readings were restored after the Tang Dynasty. Compare the modern checked-tone dialectal readings of 枇杷 (pípá).

Much folk etymology exists surrounding the name origin. The dictionary Shiming [2nd CE] explains the name as 批把 (pípá, “slap-grasp”), reflecting the plucking movements while playing the stringed instrument. 琵琶 is also cognate with—and possibly gave rise to the name of (due to the similarity in shape)—枇杷 (pípá, “loquat”), which is also a non-native species.

Pronunciation