The term "plucked-string instruments" is in fact a generic term. It includes the "plucked string" category, which is played with the fingers or a plectrum, and the "struck-string" category, which is played by hitting the strings with bamboo sticks. Plucked-string instruments have a long history in China, and there are as many as forty types, which add to the rich expressiveness of the genre. The configuration of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra incorporates the yangqin, liuqin, pipa, zhongruan, daruan, sanxian and zheng. Depending on the repertory, other types of plucked-string instruments may be incorporated, such as the guqin, konghou or even the Western harp.
