琴
qín · HSK 5
qin
🎵 two 王 (jade) on top = strings; 今 below hints 'jīn/qín' sound
琴 stacks two 玉/王 (jade) radicals over 今. The doubled jade pieces evoke the parallel strings of the ancient zither, while 今 (jīn) is the phonetic clue nudging the reading toward qín.
琴 — two 玉 (jade) on top + 今 (jīn) phonetic below
Originally a pictograph of a stringed instrument, showing strings stretched over a wooden body. The modern form reanalyzes the top as paired 玉 (jade), suggesting the precious tone of the instrument, while 今 at the bottom hints at the pronunciation qín. It refers to the ancient Chinese zither (guqin).