唄
song, ballad
Readings
On'yomi
- バイ
Kun'yomi
- うた
- うた.う
Meaning
唄 centers on vocal music: a song or ballad, often with a traditional or narrative feel.
Most common words using 唄
- 小唄こうた
kouta; traditional ballad accompanied by shamisen
- 長唄ながうた
long epic song with shamisen accompaniment (developed in Edo in the early 17th century)
- 子守唄こもりうた
lullaby
- 地唄じうた
(style of) folk song
- リンゴの唄リンゴのうた
Ringo no uta (1946 song; the first post-war hit song)
- 下座唄げざうた
song sung behind the scenes
- 作業唄さぎょううた
work song
- 労作唄ろうさくうた
work song
- 唄三線うたさんしん
uta-sanshin (variety of Okinawan folk music)
- 唄方うたかた
singer in a nagauta performance
- 島唄しまうた
traditional Okinawan folk music
- 引かれ者の小唄ひかれもののこうた
putting on a brave front; pretending one doesn't care; song of a convict on their way to prison
- 梵唄ぼんばい
song praising the virtues of the Buddha
- 盆踊り唄ぼんおどりうた
Bon Festival dance song
- 端唄はうた
short love song (popular in late Edo period)
- 陰唄かげうた
song sung behind the scenes
- 雨に唄えばあめにうたえば
Singin' in the Rain (1952 film and song)
Study
Etymology
唄 combines 口 (mouth) with 貝, which likely contributes the sound バイ. The character is used for songs or ballads, especially in a Buddhist chanting context.
Meaning mnemonic
A mouth 口 singing beside a shell 貝, like a bard singing ballads by the seashore.
Reading mnemonic
For バイ, imagine buying a ballad from a street singer: buy -> バイ, and the mouth 口 sings the song.