View source for Chakhe

{{Short description|Musical instrument}}
{{Infobox instrument
| name           = Chakhe
| names          = Takhe, krapeu
| background     = string
| image          = Chakhe.jpg
| image_capt     = Thai chakhe
| classification = [[String instrument|String]] ([[Plucked string instrument|plucked]])
| hornbostel_sachs = 314.122
| hornbostel_sachs_desc = [[box zither]]
| related        = [[Mi gyaung]]
}}

The '''''chakhe''''' ({{langx|th|จะเข้}}, {{IPA|th|tɕā.kʰêː|pron}}, also spelled ''jakhe'' or ''ja-khe''; {{langx|lo|ຈະເຂ້}}, {{IPA|th|tɕā.kʰȅː|pron}}), or '''''krapeu''''' ({{langx|km|ក្រពើ}}; also called '''''takhe''''' {{langx|km|តាខេ}}, ''takhe'', ''takkhe'' or ''charakhe''), is a fretted floor [[zither]] or [[lute]] with three strings used in [[Thai music|Thai]] and [[Khmer music]]. The Thai and the Khmer versions of the instrument are virtually identical.<ref>{{Cite book |author1=Terry E. Miller |author2=Sam-Ang Sam |title=The Classical Musics of Cambodia and Thailand: A Study of Distinctions |year=1995 |page=232}}</ref>

It is made of [[hardwood]] in a stylized [[crocodile]] shape, approximately 20&nbsp;cm high and 130–132&nbsp;cm long. The "head" portion is 52&nbsp;cm long, 28&nbsp;cm wide and 9–12&nbsp;cm deep; the "tail" portion 81&nbsp;cm long and 11.5&nbsp;cm wide. It has eleven ''(chakhe)''<ref name="Miller08_130"/> or twelve ''(krapeu)'' raised [[fret]]s made of bamboo, ivory, bone, or wood,<ref name="Sam08_95"/> graduated between 2 and 3.5&nbsp;cm in height,<ref name="Miller08_130"/> which are affixed to the [[Fingerboard|fretboard]] with wax or glue. Its highest two strings are made of silk yarn, [[catgut]], or nylon, while the lowest is made of metal.<ref name="Sam08_95"/> They are tuned [[Piano key frequencies|C–G–c]].<ref name="Miller08_130">{{Cite book |author=Terry E. Miller |chapter=Thailand |title=The Garland Handbook of Southeast Asian Music |publisher=Routledge |year=2008 |page=130}}</ref> The instrument is usually supported by three or five legs.<ref name="Sam08_95">{{Cite book |author=Sam-Ang Sam |chapter=The Khmer People of Cambodia |title=The Garland Handbook of Southeast Asian Music |publisher=Routledge |year=2008 |page=95}}</ref>

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 [[domestic buffalo|water buffalo]] horn, which is tied to the player's index finger, and bracing it with the thumb and index finger.<ref name="Miller08_130"/> 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.

{{multiple image|caption_align=center|header_align=center
 | align = right
 | image2 = Cambodian krapeu (ក្រពើ) or takhe (តាខេ).jpg
 | width2 = 120
 | alt2 = Cambodian krapeu (ក្រពើ) or takhe (តាខេ)
 | caption2 = A Cambodian woman plays a krapeu ក្រពើ or takhe តាខេ. She is using her left hand to press on the strings and specify notes while her right hand plucks with a plectrum.

 | image1 =Woman playing a krapeu ក្រពើ or takhe តាខេ.webm
 | width1 = 145
 | alt1 =Video of woman playing Cambodian krapeu (ក្រពើ) or takhe (តាខេ)
 | caption1  = Cambodian woman playing a [[w:krapeu|krapeu]] ក្រពើ or takhe តាខេ. The drum that is audible is a [[w:skor daey|skor daey]] goblet drums or another short Cambodian goblet drum.

<!-- Footer -->
}}

In Thai music, the ''chakhe'' is part of the [[Mahori]] ensemble; in Khmer music, the ''krapeu'' is part of the equivalent [[Mohori]]. Among the Khmer classical instruments, the ''takhe'' is probably the most recently introduced; it is assumed to be adopted from Thai music.<ref name="Sam08_95"/> It is used for wedding music, ''A-yai'', and ''Chapei'' music, as well as modern music.

The name ''chakhe'' is derived from ''chorakhe'' ({{lang|th|[[wikt:จระเข้|จระเข้]]}}), meaning "crocodile".<ref name="Miller08_130"/> The word ''krapeu'' means "[[alligator]]" or "[[crocodile]]" in the [[Khmer language]], as well.<ref name="Sam08_95"/>

''Chakhe'' and ''krapeu'' are also related to the [[Myanmar]]/[[Mon people|Mon]] ''[[mi gyaung]]'' ''(kyam)'', which has realistic zoological features and not just the abstract form of a crocodile.<ref name="Miller08_130"/> More distantly, they are also related to the [[India]]n [[Veena]].{{Citation needed|date=June 2016}}

==See also==
*[[Mi gyaung]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120421040858/http://www.culture.go.th/research/musical/music/central/mp3/jakae.mp3 Sound sample]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080705015046/http://www.khmerculturalcenter.org/phlengkar/kcc_takhe.htm ''Krapeu'' page]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080419080351/http://www.culture.go.th/research/musical/html/en_musical_central.php?musical=jakae ''Jakhe'' page]

{{Cambodian musical instruments}}
{{Thai musical instruments}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cambodian musical instruments]]
[[Category:Thai musical instruments]]
[[Category:Box zithers]]


{{Cambodia-stub}}
{{Zither-instrument-stub}}
{{Lute-stub}}