# Dihu > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Dihu > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Dihu.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dihu > Source revision: 1339181910 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Chinese bowed string instrument A *dadihu* (the largest instrument shown), with other Chinese string instruments The ***dihu*** ([Chinese](/source/Chinese_language): [低胡](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E4%BD%8E%E8%83%A1); [pinyin](/source/Pinyin): *dīhú*) is a large bowed [string instrument](/source/String_instrument) from [China](/source/China). It has a large soundbox covered on one end with snakeskin. Like most other members of the [huqin](/source/Huqin) family of instruments, it has two strings and is held vertically. The instrument's name derives from "dī," meaning "low," and "hú" (short for *huqin*). ## Sizes The instrument comes in three sizes: - The ***xiaodihu*** (小低胡, also called [dahu](/source/Dahu_(instrument)) or [cizhonghu](/source/Cizhonghu)), pitched one octave below the *[erhu](/source/Erhu)* (tuned D-A, with its lowest D one whole step above the [viola](/source/Viola)'s lowest C). It is the tenor member of the erhu family (the *erhu* being the soprano member and the *[zhonghu](/source/Zhonghu)* being the alto member). - The ***zhongdihu*** (中低胡, pitched one octave below the [zhonghu](/source/Zhonghu), (tuned G-D, as the middle strings of the cello). It is the bass member of the erhu family. - The ***dadihu*** (大低胡, pitched one octave below the *xiaodihu* and two octaves below the erhu (tuned D-A, with its lowest D one whole step above the [cello](/source/Cello)'s lowest C). It is the contrabass member of the erhu family. ## Overview The *dihu* family was developed for orchestral use in the 1930s as lower members of the *erhu* family (the *erhu* being the soprano member and the *[zhonghu](/source/Zhonghu)* being the alto member) to increase the pitch range of the instruments used in a [Chinese orchestra](/source/Chinese_orchestra) and allow music with harmony to be played.[1] However, by the late 20th century it had largely fallen into disuse, part of the reason being that it is unwieldy to play. Also, the fact that (like other instruments in the *huqin* family) the bow passes between the instrument's two strings means that playing [pizzicato](/source/Pizzicato) is difficult; thus, the larger four-string [gehu](/source/Gehu) and [diyingehu](/source/Diyingehu) (or [cello](/source/Cello) or [double bass](/source/Double_bass)) are generally used in Chinese orchestras for the lower bowed string voices instead. ## See also - [Dahu (instrument)](/source/Dahu_(instrument)) - [Diyingehu](/source/Diyingehu) - [Laruan](/source/Laruan) - [Huqin](/source/Huqin) - [Traditional Chinese musical instruments](/source/Traditional_Chinese_musical_instruments) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-tsao_1-0)** Tsui Yingfai (16 September 1998). ["The Modern Chinese Folk Orchestra: A Brief History"](https://books.google.com/books?id=m823BqcZpVQC&pg=PA23). In Tsao Penyeh (ed.). *Tradition and Change in the Performance of Chinese Music, Part 2*. Routledge. pp. 22–24. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-9057550416](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-9057550416). ## External links - [Dihu page](http://www.soomal.com/gb/002/001/00000015.htm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20060118223331/http://www.soomal.com/gb/002/001/00000015.htm) 2006-01-18 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) (Chinese) - [Xiaodihu photo](http://www.meixinya.com/images3/MZ_gongxian/dihu(xiao).jpg) (xiaodihu on left; erhu on right for comparison) - [Zhongdihu photo](http://www.meixinya.com/images3/MZ_gongxian/dihu(zhong).jpg) (zhongdihu on left; erhu on right for comparison) - [Dadihu photo](http://www.meixinya.com/images3/MZ_gongxian/dihu(da).jpg) (dadihu on left; erhu on right for comparison) v t e Traditional Chinese musical instruments Silk (string) Plucked Duxianqin Guqin Guzheng Konghou Liuqin Pipa Qinqin Ruan Sanxian Se Yueqin Bowed Banhu Daguangxian Dahu Datong Dihu Diyingehu Erhu Erxian Gaohu Gehu Huqin Jiaohu Jing erhu Jinghu Laruan Leiqin Matouqin Maguhu Sanhu Sihu Tiqin Tihu Tuhu Yehu Yazheng Xiqin Zhonghu Zhuihu Zhuiqin Struck Yangqin Zhu Bamboo (woodwind) Flutes Dizi Koudi Paixiao Xiao Oboes Guan Suona Free- reed pipes Bawu Mangtong Gourd (woodwind) Hulusheng Hulusi Sheng Yu Percussion Wood Guban Muyu Paiban Yu Zhu Stone Bianqing Qing Metal Bianzhong Fangxiang Gong Luo Yunluo Clay Fou Hide Alligator drum Bangu Bolanggu Jiegu Paigu Tanggu Zhangu Others Gudi Kouxian Lusheng Xun v t e Huqin instrument family Erhu Gaohu Banhu Jinghu Zhonghu Yehu (Kezaixian) Erxian Tiqin Daguangxian Datong Datongxian Hu hu Huluhu Maguhu Tuhu Jiaohu Zhuihu Zhuiqin Leiqin Sihu Sanhu Dahu Dihu (Xiaodihu Zhongdihu Dadihu) Cizhonghu Gehu Diyingehu Laruan (Dalaruan) Paqin Xiqin Niutuiqin (niubatui) Matouqin Ghaychak Sataer This Chinese music article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. - [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:China-music-stub) - [t](/source/Template_talk%3AChina-music-stub) - [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:China-music-stub) This article relating to instruments of the huqin family is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. - [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Huqin-stub) - [t](/source/Template_talk%3AHuqin-stub) - [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Huqin-stub) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Dihu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dihu) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dihu?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.