The violin is a Western stringed instrument with a bow, originating in the 17th century. Its body is approximately 35.5 centimeters in length, constructed by bonding the front plate, back plate, and side plates, and primarily made from materials such as spruce and maple.

The strings produce sound by being bowed and vibrated, with the four strings made of gut, metal wire, or nylon. As the core instrument of the string section in modern orchestras, it is ranked alongside the piano and classical guitar as one of the world's three great musical instruments. The instrument consists of over 30 components. The bow was refined and standardized by François Tourte from the late 18th to early 19th century. In the 19th century, the addition of a chin rest freed the left hand for more advanced playing techniques, while the neck and fingerboard were extended to accommodate changes in string tension. During performance, players can achieve double, triple, and chord articulation by simultaneously touching the strings, with techniques like left-hand vibrato and harmonics forming the foundation of playing skills.

The early prototypes can be traced back to the ancient Greek lyre and the Arabic rabab. In the 16th century, Italian luthier Andrea Amati crafted the first violin, and his family established the Cremona violin-making tradition. In the 18th century, French luthiers improved the body structure, while Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume refined the body shape, and Pierre Tourte optimized the bow design. Chinese violin-making began in the early 20th century, with Situ Mengyan learning from Gaubert to create the first domestically produced violin, and Wang Mei using native wood to achieve localized craftsmanship.