To Play A Stringed Instrument
To Play
transitive verb, godan verb
You'd think that this means "to bullet" but it does not. It means to play a stringed instrument. It's actually used for all stringed instruments, and all instruments with a keyboard, like pianos and electric keyboards. Just imagine taking a bullet and using it as a pick for a guitar, then using it to press down the keys of a piano and play a tune.
The reading is the same as 引く, which is "to pull." When you play a stringed instrument, you are pulling the string in a direction to make it vibrate and create a sound. So, "to pull" and "to play a stringed instrument" share a reading. It's a bit more of a stretch for instruments with keyboards, but pianos do at least have strings...
美香ちゃんは、ウクレレを弾くと心が休まると言っていたよ。
Mika said that she feels relaxed when she plays the ukulele.
古いギターを弾こうとしたら、げんが切れてしまった。
When I tried to play an old guitar, one of the strings broke.
彼がまたピアノを弾き始めたというニュースに、私は胸を躍らせました。
I was thrilled by the news that he started playing piano again.