C diminished chord on ukulele (Cdim)

Cdim is C, E♭ and G♭. The usual shape is 5-3-2-3. Play it once at full speed, then at a quarter to hear every note.

5-3-2-3 · movable · medium

Notes: C · E♭ · G♭
Formula: 1 · ♭3 · ♭5
First shape: 5-3-2-3

How to play Cdim on ukulele

Shape 1, 5-3-2-3, reading from the G string on the left, starts at the 2nd fret:

Put your index finger on the E string at the 2nd fret, which is G♭.
Put your middle finger on the C string at the 3rd fret, which is E♭.
Put your ring finger on the A string at the 3rd fret, which is C.
Put your pinky finger on the G string at the 5th fret, which is C.

This shape uses your pinky. It feels weak at first; press with the tip and let the finger stay curved.
This one reaches. Let the thumb slide lower on the neck and the stretch gets noticeably easier.
On ukulele you strum all four strings. The top G string is tuned higher than the C, which is why ukulele chords sound bright and close.

Other ways to play Cdim

8-6-8-6: movable shape at the 6th fret, medium. Use it when the next chord sits nearby on the neck.
11-12-11-9: movable shape at the 9th fret, medium. Up the neck the chord gets thinner and brighter, a good contrast to the open version.

Moving between Cdim and its neighbours

Songs rarely hold Cdim for long. Here's what your hand does on the moves that come up most.

C♯ (leads up a half step): Cdim (5-3-2-3) to C♯ (6-5-4-4): the index finger goes to the E string, 4th fret, move the middle finger to the A string, 4th fret, your ring finger lands on the C string, 5th fret. No finger can stay, so practice lifting all of them together and landing the new shape as a unit. C♯ on ukulele
C♯m (leads up a half step): Cdim (5-3-2-3) to C♯m (6-4-4-4): move the index finger to the C string, 4th fret, your middle finger lands on the E string, 4th fret, the ring finger goes to the A string, 4th fret. Nothing carries over, so drill it slowly, lifting and landing all fingers at once. C♯m on ukulele
Fm (iii in D♭ major): Cdim (5-3-2-3) to Fm (1-0-1-3): your ring finger stays put, move the index finger to the G string, 1st fret, move the middle finger to the E string, 1st fret. C carries over from one chord to the other. Fm on ukulele

Cdim is a diminished triad: two minor thirds stacked. All 3 notes of Cdim fit on the ukulele's four strings, with one of them doubled. Play it once strummed and once picked to hear the difference.

Getting Cdim under your fingers

Arpeggiate 5-3-2-3 from the lowest string: C, E♭, G♭, C. Then strum it and listen for the same 4 notes together. Next, alternate 5-3-2-3 and 8-6-8-6, slowly, until the change takes less than a beat.

Cdim in context

Cdim on guitar and piano

Cdim on guitar and piano uses the same 3 notes in a different layout. See all three together.

Next to try on ukulele

Other diminished chords

Cdim on ukulele: questions

What notes are in Cdim on ukulele?

C, E♭ and G♭. In the 5-3-2-3 shape the strings play C (G string), E♭ (C string), G♭ (E string) and C (A string), so C is doubled.

What's the easiest way to play Cdim on ukulele?

No open-string Cdim exists in standard tuning; 5-3-2-3 is the place to start. It uses 4 fingers and no barre, and a capo is worth trying when the song allows.

Is Cdim a barre chord on ukulele?

Not usually: 5-3-2-3 needs no barre.

Which string does Cdim start on?

In the 5-3-2-3 shape the lowest string you play is the G string at the 5th fret, which is C, the root.

Shapes and sound are generated from the notes C, E♭ and G♭ and tested automatically. Updated September 2026.