Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ロック | rokku | [ɾo̞k̚kɯ̟] (narrow) |
| ロック音楽 | rokku ongaku |
The terms are used to denote the popular music genre of rock. For specific subgenres or styles, you may see terms like クラシックロック (classic rock), インディーロック (indie rock) or ジャパニーズロック (Japanese rock).
What does it mean word for word?
The form ロック音楽 is composed of the loanword ロック (rokku) for 'rock' and the native Japanese word 音楽 (ongaku) for 'music'.
Which one should you use?
ロック is the most common and widely understood term for rock music in informal settings. ロック音楽 and ロックミュージック are suitable options for discussing rock music formally.
Is it said differently in some regions?
関西ロック refers to rock music originating from the Kansai region of Japan, while 沖縄のロック is used specifically for rock music originating from the Okinawa prefecture.
How do you pronounce it?
rokku
When do people say it?
The term ジャパニーズロックフェスティバル refers to a Japanese rock festival.
Did you know?
- In Japanese beverage culture, ordering a drink ロック means serving it 'on the rocks' with ice, using the same loanword as the music genre.
- The phrase ロック魂 (rokku damashii) is used to describe the 'rock spirit' or 'rock soul', often referring to a rebellious attitude.
- While rock music is global, the 'Visual Kei' movement created a uniquely Japanese aesthetic where ロック is inseparable from elaborate costumes and heavy makeup.
Examples in context
- 彼女はロックに夢中だ。She is absorbed in rock music.This sentence shows how to express being absorbed in ロック.Tatoeba #91273 by bunbuku, translation #312441 by CK
- 私はロックが好きです。I love rock music.This sentence is a way to say you love ロック.Tatoeba #158590 by bunbuku, translation #588908 by CK
- ほとんどの若者はロックが好きだと思うんです。I think that most young people like rock music.This sentence expresses an opinion that many young people like ロック.Tatoeba #196147 by bunbuku, translation #33323 by CK
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Yui are talking about their taste in music.
- 健太 Kenta結衣はどんな音楽を聴くの？Yui wa donna ongaku o kiku no?What kind of music do you listen to, Yui?
- 結衣 Yui最近はロックばかり聴いているよ。Saikin wa rokku bakari kiite iru yo.I've been listening to nothing but rock lately.
- 健太 Kentaいいよね。僕もロックが大好きだ。Ii yo ne. Boku mo rokku ga daisuki da.That's great. I love rock too.
- 結衣 Yuiおすすめのバンドを教えて！Osusume no bando o oshiete!Tell me some bands you recommend!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rock music” translations and entries ロック, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
