Word Detail

The Japanese word 歌, read as うた (uta), primarily means "song" or "singing." It refers to a piece of music with lyrics or the act of singing. It can also refer to poetry or a poem, particularly in older contexts. The meaning is centered around the act of vocalizing musical sounds, often with the accompaniment of instruments or simply as a solo performance. The word encompasses both the written form (lyrics) and the performance itself.

⚫︎好きな歌を歌います。 Translation: I sing my favorite song. ⚫︎彼女は美しい歌声を持っています。 Translation: She has a beautiful singing voice. ⚫︎この歌はとても有名です。 Translation: This song is very famous.

⚫︎歌 is a common word, used in everyday conversation. ⚫︎ It can be used to describe the act of singing, a specific song, or a type of musical genre. ⚫︎ You can use it when talking about music, karaoke, concerts, or any situation involving songs or singing. ⚫︎ When you're talking about 歌, you are referring to a composition, a specific musical piece, or the act of 歌ing.

⚫︎ The word 歌 is most commonly written with the kanji 歌. ⚫︎ The hiragana reading うた (uta) is also widely used, especially for beginners or when you are unsure about the kanji. ⚫︎ Okurigana (the suffix hiragana) is not typically added to 歌 when used as a noun. However, when it is used as a verb (to sing), the hiragana changes. For example, 歌います (uta-imasu) means "to sing" (polite form). 歌 has a verb form like 歌う (utau).

⚫︎ 楽曲 (gakkyoku) - musical composition, piece of music. ⚫︎ 音楽 (ongaku) - music. ⚫︎ 合唱 (gasshou) - chorus, singing in a group. ⚫︎ 唱歌 (shouka) - a song, especially one used for education or for a specific occasion.

There aren't direct antonyms for 歌 itself. However, concepts that are opposite of music or singing could be considered antonyms, such as: ⚫︎ Silence (without music) ⚫︎ Noise (if it is the opposite of a good melody or a well-sung 歌)

私はカラオケで歌を歌うのが好きです。 ・Translation: I like to sing songs at karaoke. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 歌 to describe the act of singing songs in the context of karaoke.

この歌の歌詞はとても心に響きます。 ・Translation: The lyrics of this song really resonate with me. ・Explanation: Here, 歌 refers to the song itself, and 歌詞 (kashi) means "lyrics."

The kanji 歌 is a combination of two parts. The upper part, 哥 (ka), which also has a phonetic role, suggests the meaning of "song." The lower part, 欠 (ketsu), originally meant "lack," but the combination came to represent the act of singing or the vocalization of a song.