Chakhe

The chakhe (Thai: จะเข้, pronounced [tɕā.kʰêː], or krapeu (Khmer: ក្រពើ), also called takhe (Khmer: តាខេ), also called ja-khe (Lao: ຈະເຂ້, pronounced [tɕā.kʰȅː]), is a fretted floor zither or lute with three strings. The Thai and the Khmer versions of the instrument are virtually identical.^[1]

Chakhe

Thai chakhe
String instrument
Other names	Takhe, krapeu
Classification	String (plucked)
Hornbostel–Sachs classification	314.122 (box zither)
Related instruments
Mi gyaung Takhe

It is made of hardwood in a stylized crocodile shape, approximately 20 cm high and 130–132 cm long. The "head" portion is 52 cm long, 28 cm wide and 9–12 cm deep; the "tail" portion 81 cm long and 11.5 cm wide. It has eleven (takhe)^[2] or twelve (krapeu) raised frets made of bamboo, ivory, bone, or wood,^[3] graduated between 2 and 3.5 cm in height,^[2] which are affixed to the fretboard with wax or glue. Its highest two strings are made of silk yarn, catgut, or nylon, while the lowest is made of metal.^[3] They are tuned C–G–c.^[2] The instrument is usually supported by three or five legs.^[3]

The player, sitting beside the instrument, uses their left hand on the fretboard while plucking the string with their right hand using a 5- to 6-cm long, tapered plectrum made from ivory, bone, or water buffalo horn, which is tied to the player's index finger, and bracing it with the thumb and index finger.^[2] The instrument produces a buzzing sound because the strings are raised slightly off the flat bridge by a sliver of bamboo or other thin material such as plastic.

The Chakhe is a Thai musical instrument with three strings. It can be played by plucking a small stick against the strings.

Cambodian woman playing a krapeu ក្រពើ or takhe តាខេ. The drum that is audible is a skor daey goblet drums or another short Cambodian goblet drum

In Thai music, the chakhe is part of the Mahori ensemble; in Khmer music, the krapeu is part of the equivalent Mohori. The word krapeu means "alligator" or "crocodile" in the Khmer language.^[3] The name Chakhe meaning "crocodile"^[2] in the Thai language. Chakhe and krapeu are also related to the Myanmar/Mon mi gyaung (kyam), which has realistic zoological features and not just the abstract form of a crocodile.^[2] More distantly, they are also related to the Indian Veena.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Mi gyaung