bongo
/ˈbɒŋɡəʊ/ (bre, ipa) · [bˈɑŋɡˌo] /ˈbɑːŋɡəʊ/ (ame, ipa) · [bˈɑŋɡˌo] /ˈbäŋ-(ˌ)gō How to pronounce bongo (audio) ˈbȯŋ-/ (ame, mw)
bongo — noun
1. either drum in a joined two-drum instrument that musicians strike with their fin
either drum in a joined two-drum instrument that musicians strike with their fingers and palms.
Tariq played the bongos beside the fire while his cousins sang.
play the bongos
At the street parade, Yuki carried bongos and kept the dancers moving.
carry and play bongos in performance
The music teacher passed one bongo to Pim and the other to Kofi.
Beatrix tapped the bongos softly during the warm-up before rehearsal.
- hand drum
a broader term for any drum played without sticks
- conga
a taller hand-played drum with a deeper sound, not the same paired instrument
- percussion instrument
a very broad category term rather than a close everyday substitute
文法句型
play the bongos
a pair of bongos
tap a bongo with your hands
用法筆記
In music talk, English often uses the plural the bongos when referring to the full paired instrument. The singular bongo usually points to one drum in the pair.
2. a shy antelope from central African forests, with a red-brown body, pale stripes
a shy antelope from central African forests, with a red-brown body, pale stripes, and long twisting horns.
On the safari, Valentina spotted a bongo slipping between the dark trees.
spot a bongo in the forest
The zoo built a quiet forest pen for its young bongo.
A wildlife camera caught one bongo drinking near the river at dawn.
Christopher learned that the bongo uses its stripes to hide in shade.
- antelope
a much broader animal group, not this exact forest species
- forest antelope
a descriptive phrase that points to its habitat rather than its exact name
文法句型
spot a bongo in the forest
a young bongo drinks at the river
the bongo uses its stripes for cover
用法筆記
This sense appears mainly in writing about wildlife, zoos, and African forests rather than in everyday conversation.