雅が楽がく

が

く

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

gagaku; traditional Japanese court music

Refers to the ancient orchestral music and dance performed at the Imperial court and certain shrines/temples, with origins in continental Asia.

雅が楽がくは千せん年ねん以い上じょうの歴れき史しを持もつ伝でん統とう芸げい能のうです。
Gagaku is a traditional performing art with over a thousand years of history.
宮く内ない庁ちょう式しき部ぶ職しょく楽がく部ぶが雅が楽がくの演えん奏そうを担たん当とうしている。
The Music Department of the Imperial Household Agency is responsible for gagaku performances.

Usage patterns

雅が楽がくを演えん奏そうするto perform gagaku
神じん社じゃの祭まつりで雅が楽がくが演えん奏そうされた。
Gagaku was performed at the shrine festival.
雅が楽がくを聴きくto listen to gagaku
宮く内ない庁ちょうで雅が楽がくを聴きく機き会かいがあった。
I had the chance to listen to gagaku at the Imperial Household Agency.
雅が楽がくに合あわせて〈動どう詞し〉to do something in accompaniment with gagaku music
巫女みこたちは雅が楽がくに合あわせて舞まった。
The shrine maidens danced in accompaniment to the gagaku music.

Kanji

雅gracious, elegant, graceful
楽music, comfort, ease

Related words

邦ほう楽がく
邦楽 is a broad term covering all traditional Japanese music, whereas 雅楽 refers specifically to the ancient court music genre.
能のう楽がく
能楽 is the music and performance art of Noh theatre, a later tradition distinct from the older imperial court music of 雅楽.
舞ぶ楽がく
雅楽 is the whole tradition of Japanese court music including purely instrumental and vocal pieces, while 舞楽 refers specifically to the danced pieces performed to that music.

Opposites

俗ぞく楽がく
俗楽 refers to popular, secular music enjoyed by common people, in contrast to 雅楽, the formal music of the imperial court.

Word family

雅が楽がく寮りょう
government office in charge of court music (ritsuryō period)

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 雅樂 (ngæX ngæwk), meaning 'elegant music'. The term was adopted in Japan to refer to the court music tradition that incorporated both native and continental influences.