CultureJuly 14, 2026

geomungo

/ɡʌmuŋɡo/

Definition

A traditional Korean plucked zither with six strings, noted for its deep, percussive tone and use in both classical and contemporary musical ensembles.

Etymology

Derived from the Korean words 'geomun' (meaning black or dark) and 'go' (the generic term for stringed instruments). The name translates literally to 'black crane zither' or 'black zither,' referring to the dark-colored wood historically used in its construction.

In the news

The geomungo is featured in the performance 'The wind alone does not make a sound' as one of the key traditional Korean instruments integrated into a cross-cultural, contemporary musical ensemble.

The performance, "The wind alone does not make a sound," is a performance in which Korean and French..

Read the full article ↗

매일경제

Related words

Learn a word like this every day

Meet one new word every morning.

Newspoken pulls one carefully chosen word from the day’s news — with a clear definition, context, and light review that makes it stick. Get it on your phone.

Not for marketing. One email on launch day.