Translation guide
The act or art of producing musical sounds with the voice. In Japanese, the most common and general term is 歌 (うた), which can refer to both the act of singing and a song itself. The verb 'to sing' is 歌う (うたう). There are also more specific terms for vocal music, chanting, and performance styles.
I like singing.
She has a beautiful singing voice.
The act of singing, or singing as an activity or art form.
The most common word for 'singing' or 'song'. Can refer to both the act and the piece. Often used in compounds.
She is good at singing.
I'm taking singing lessons.
A more formal or technical term for 'singing', often used in contexts like vocal performance, competitions, or music education.
Specifically refers to classical vocal music, such as opera or art songs. Used in academic or professional music contexts.
The action of producing musical sounds with the voice.
The nominalized form of the verb 歌う (to sing). This is the most direct way to express 'singing' as an activity.
Singing along to recorded music, especially in a karaoke setting.
The most common way to say 'singing karaoke'. カラオケ refers to the activity or venue.
Singing in a monotone or chant-like manner, often in religious or traditional contexts.
The vocalization of birds, often described as 'singing' in English.
The chirping or singing of small birds. The verb is さえずる.
歌 refers to singing or songs with melody, while 詩 refers to poetry or poems without music. Using 詩 for 'singing' would be incorrect.
Singing makes me happy.
Please tell me how to improve my singing ability.
彼は声楽を専攻しています。
He is majoring in vocal music.
Singing helps relieve stress.
I'm not good at singing in front of people.
The verb 'to sing'. Often used in its plain form in casual contexts, or with こと/の to nominalize.
Let's sing together.
On weekends, I sing karaoke with friends.
To sing passionately or enthusiastically, often used in karaoke or live performance contexts.
He grabbed the mic and sang his heart out.
To chant or recite, especially prayers, sutras, or spells. Not used for melodic singing.
The monk is chanting sutras.
To chant or recite poetry or songs in a traditional, rhythmic manner. Very literary.
He chanted a Chinese poem.
I woke up to the singing of birds in the morning.
General term for animal cries, including bird songs. Can be used for 'singing' when context is clear.
I can hear the singing of a bush warbler.
He likes writing poetry but doesn't sing.
The verb 歌う already means 'to sing', so 歌を歌う (to sing a song) is often redundant but can be used for emphasis or clarity. In casual speech, 歌う alone is sufficient.
I heard singing from the next room.