The erhu belongs to the huqin family of two-stringed fiddles, which were introduced into China by nomadic Mongols during the Yuan dynasty; the element hu in the name marks it as a foreign import. The bow hair passes between the two strings, and the instrument is played vertically on the knee, fingered with the left hand and bowed with the right. It is heard in traditional ensembles, modern orchestras and solo performance, and in opera.
instrument
Erhu
二胡
A two-stringed Chinese bowed fiddle, held vertically and played with the bow hair passing between the strings.
- Type
- instrument
- Instrument family
- Bowed fiddle
- How sound is produced
- Bowed
- Also known as
- nanhu, 二胡
- Updated
- 2026-10-13
- bowed
- fiddle
- two strings
Structure & Sound
Only what the cited sources document.- Strings
- Two strings, with the bow hair passing between them
- Structure
- A round or hexagonal sound box with a snakeskin belly
What vibrates, and how the strings are set up.
Body and construction.
Playing Technique
What the player does, and the named techniques behind it.- Playing method
- Held vertically on the knee, fingered with the left hand and bowed with the right
What each hand does.
Where it is heard
Documented settings, ensembles and occasions.- Typical context
- Traditional ensembles, modern orchestras, solo performance, and opera
Where the instrument is normally heard.
Instrument family
How this site groups instrumentsBowed String Instruments (拉弦乐器)
This site groups instruments by how their sound is produced — bowed, plucked, blown or struck. Erhu is a bowed string instrument.
Erhu is currently the only bowed string instrument with a published entry here. Other bowed string instruments are not covered yet.
Sources for Erhu
The Metropolitan Museum of Art · museum
Supports:
- The huqin (fiddle) family's introduction into China by nomadic Mongols during the Yuan dynasty
- The bow hair passing between the strings, and playing held vertically on the knee
- Typical construction: a round or hexagonal sound box with a snakeskin belly
- Contexts: traditional ensembles, modern orchestras, solo performance, and opera
- Museum classification: chordophone, bowed unfretted lute
Not yet documented for this entry: related instruments · history and culture · music theory. Nothing is added to an entry until a source supports it.