1.
keyboard; keys (of a piano or organ)
The set of keys on a musical instrument such as a piano, organ, or synthesizer. Also used to refer to keyboard instruments in general.
ピアノの鍵盤に触れた。
I touched the piano keys.
この電子ピアノは88鍵盤ある。
This digital piano has 88 keys.
子供の頃、音楽の授業で鍵盤ハーモニカを吹いた。
As a child, I played the melodica in music class.
Primarily refers to musical instrument keys, not computer keyboards (which are キーボード). However, 鍵盤 can sometimes refer to a keyboard instrument itself in casual speech.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 鍵盤楽器 (keyboard instrument)
- 鍵盤ハーモニカ (melodica — standard in Japanese elementary school music education)
- 88鍵盤 (88 keys — full piano)
- 白鍵 / 黒鍵 (white key / black key — individual keys)
The 鍵盤ハーモニカ is a ubiquitous part of Japanese elementary education. Nearly every Japanese person has played one in school.