A long Japanese stringed musical instrument played by plucking, with 13 strings stretched over a wooden body.
From Japanese 琴 (koto), which is an ancient East Asian term. The instrument evolved from Chinese zithers introduced to Japan around the 8th century, becoming distinctly Japanese in sound and playing technique.
The koto's 13 strings aren't random—they match notes in traditional Japanese scales that sound completely different from Western music, which is why hearing one can feel almost alien and beautiful at the same time.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.