also: ながうた
noun
chōka; traditional Japanese long poem
A classical Japanese poetic form consisting of alternating five- and seven-mora lines, repeated at least three times, and usually ending with a seven-mora line. Often contrasted with 短歌 (tanka).
See also: 短歌
万葉集には多くの長歌が収められている。
The Man'yōshū contains many chōka.
noun
nagauta; long epic song with shamisen
Only with reading ながうた
A genre of shamisen music that developed in Kyoto in the late 16th century, featuring extended narrative songs. Read ながうた; not to be confused with the classical poetic form 長歌 (ちょうか).
See also: 長唄
彼女は長唄ではなく長歌を習っている。
She is learning nagauta, not nagauta (the shamisen genre).
Standard kanji spelling for the classical poetic form. Reading ちょうか is the most common for this sense.
Reading ながうた is used for the shamisen-accompanied epic song, distinct from the classical poem.
From 長 (long) + 歌 (song/poem). The reading ちょうか is the Sino-Japanese on'yomi, while ながうた is the native kun'yomi reading. The two readings distinguish the classical poetic form from the later musical genre.