曲きょく

noun, noun, used as a suffix

piece of music; song; track; composition

The everyday word for a musical piece, including songs, instrumental works, and tracks on an album. Also used as a suffix for counting or listing pieces, as in 一曲 or 三曲目.

• この曲きょくを初はじめて聞きいたとき、すぐ好すきになった。

  When I first heard this song, I liked it right away.

• アルバムには十じゅっ曲きょく入はいっている。

  The album contains ten tracks.

noun

tune; melody

Refers to the musical tune or melody itself, especially in contrast with words, lyrics, or a text being set to music.

• 彼かの女じょはその詩しに曲きょくを付つけた。

  She set the poem to music.

• 歌か詞しはまだないが、曲きょくはもうできている。

  There are no lyrics yet, but the tune is already finished.

noun

interest; pleasure; amusement

Rare and old-fashioned use meaning charm, interest, or amusing quality. It is most safely understood in fixed or literary-looking expressions such as 曲がない or 曲のない, rather than as a common modern standalone noun.

• 古ふるい文ぶん章しょうでは、「曲きょくのない話はなし」が面おも白しろみのない話はなしを指さすことがある。

  In older writing, 曲のない話 can mean an uninteresting story.