声（こえ、koe）
- voice

The Japanese word 声 声（こえ / koe） primarily means "voice" or "sound." It refers to the sound produced by humans, animals, or even objects, although it’s most commonly associated with the human voice. It can also refer to vocalizations in general, the sounds of things, or even opinions or views. The nuance depends on the context.

⚫︎彼女の声 Translation: Her voice ⚫︎鳥の声 Translation: The sound of a bird (birdsong) ⚫︎みんなの声 Translation: Everyone's opinions/voices (also used figuratively)

⚫︎ You use 声 声 when you are referring to the sound a person or animal makes. For example, if you want to say "I can hear your voice," you would say あなたの声が聞こえます. ⚫︎ It's also used in more abstract ways, such as representing opinions or public sentiment. For example, 国民の声 means "the voice of the people." ⚫︎ It is generally used in both formal and informal situations, but its application changes based on context.

⚫︎ The word is most commonly written with the kanji 声. ⚫︎ The hiragana reading is こえ. ⚫︎ There are no common katakana usages for this word. ⚫︎ The okurigana (the suffix hiragana) does not vary in common use.

⚫︎ 音（おと / oto）： "sound" in a more general sense. ⚫︎ 叫び（さけび / sakebi）： "shout," "yell." ⚫︎ 発声（はっせい / hassei）： "vocalization," or the act of producing a voice.

⚫︎ There isn't a direct antonym for 声. However, words related to silence might be considered opposite in some contexts. ⚫︎ 沈黙（ちんもく / chinmoku）： "silence."

彼女の声はとても綺麗です。 ・Translation: Her voice is very beautiful. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 声 to describe the quality of a person's vocal sound.

この映画は声が大きすぎる。 ・Translation: The sound in this movie is too loud. ・Explanation: This uses 声 to refer to the sound of something in a movie.

The kanji 声 is a combination of two parts, the top part "生" meaning "life" or "birth," and the bottom part "耳" meaning "ear." Together, they suggest the sound emanating from the living, as heard by the ear.