Standard Lemma guide

koto

name · noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • CMU ARPABET: K OW1 T OW0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

name

Meaning 1

A special ward in Tokyo prefecture, Japan.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A Japanese stringed instrument having numerous strings, usually seven or thirteen, that are stretched over a convex wooden sounding board and are plucked with three plectra, worn on the thumb, index finger, and middle finger of one hand.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Japanese stringed instrument that resembles a zither; has a rectangular wooden sounding board and usually 13 silk strings that are plucked with the fingers

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: stringed instrument

History

Etymology

From Japanese 箏 (koto).

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese: 江東 /江东 (Jiāngdōng) — Translations
  • Japanese: 江東 (Kōtō) — Translations
  • Chinese Cantonese: 日本箏 /日本筝 (jat6 bun2 zang1) — a Japanese stringed instrument
  • Chinese Mandarin: 日本箏 /日本筝 (rìběnzhēng) — a Japanese stringed instrument
  • Esperanto: kotoo — a Japanese stringed instrument
  • Finnish: koto — a Japanese stringed instrument
  • French: koto — a Japanese stringed instrument
  • German: Koto — a Japanese stringed instrument
  • Japanese: 箏 (koto) — a Japanese stringed instrument
  • Korean: 고토 (goto) — a Japanese stringed instrument
  • Marathi: कोतो (koto) — a Japanese stringed instrument
  • Portuguese: coto — a Japanese stringed instrument
  • Portuguese: koto — a Japanese stringed instrument
  • Russian: ко́то (kóto) — a Japanese stringed instrument
  • Vietnamese: koto — a Japanese stringed instrument
  • Vietnamese: cô tô — a Japanese stringed instrument