歌
song, sing
Readings
On'yomi
- カ
Kun'yomi
- うた
- うた.う
Meaning
歌 centers on vocal expression set to melody: a song, or the act of singing. The two senses are tightly linked as the product and the action.
Most common words using 歌
24 of 271- 歌うたN5
song; singing
- 歌ううたうN5
to sing
- 歌詞かし
song lyrics; words of a song; libretto
- 歌手かしゅN3
singer
- 歌声うたごえN1
singing voice; (sound of) singing
- 歌舞伎かぶきN3
kabuki; traditional form of drama and music performed by male actors wearing makeup mainly in white and red
- 歌唱かしょう
song; singing
- 歌謡かようN2
song; ballad
- 短歌たんかN1
tanka; 31-mora Japanese poem
- 国歌こっか
national anthem
- 演歌えんか
enka; traditional-style Japanese popular ballad
- 歌姫うたひめ
songstress; diva
- 歌劇かげき
opera
- 歌留多カルタN2
karuta; traditional Japanese playing cards, esp. hyakunin isshu karuta or iroha karuta
- 和歌わかN1
waka; classic Japanese poem, esp. a tanka, often 31 morae
- 校歌こうか
school song; college song; school anthem
- 歌曲かきょく
melody; tune; song
- 歌人かじん
poet (of tanka poems)
- 唱歌しょうか
singing; song
- 賛歌さんか
song of praise; eulogy; paean; hymn
- 歌集かしゅう
collection of waka poems; anthology
- 詩歌しいか
Japanese and Chinese poetry
- 歌合うたあわせ
poetry contest
- 歌謡曲かようきょくN1
kayōkyoku; form of Japanese popular music that developed during the Showa era
Study
Etymology
歌 combines 哥 (a phonetic element suggesting sound) with 欠 (a person with an open mouth), together expressing singing or a song.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 哥 looks like two mouths (可 over 可) and the right side 欠 is a person with an open mouth. Imagine a chorus of open mouths singing a song together.
Reading mnemonic
For カ, picture a car with its radio blasting a song: car -> カ, and everyone inside is singing along.