Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 歌 | gē | /kɤ⁵⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /kɤɻ⁵⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Erhua, Sinological IPA, 歌兒 / 歌儿) |
|
| 歌曲 | gēqǔ | /kɤ⁵⁵ t͡ɕʰy²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /kɔː⁵⁵ kʰʊk̚⁵/ (Cantonese, Guangzhou, Sinological IPA, Standard Cantonese, Hong Kong) |
|
| 唱兒 / 唱儿 | chàngr | ||
| 歌兒 / 歌儿 | gēr | ||
| 歌 | koa, ko, ko͘ | /kua⁴⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Sinological IPA, Taipei, Kaohsiung, General Taiwanese) /kua³³/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Sinological IPA, General Taiwanese) |
Hokkien |
The term refers to music with words. If you want to refer specifically to the words of a song, use the term 歌词 (gēcí).
Which one should you use?
The term 歌曲 is the most formal and commonly used term for 'song' in Mandarin Chinese, whereas 歌儿 is an informal variation.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term 歌儿 is an informal variation of 歌 that is more common in northern China, particularly in Beijing dialect. The form гәр is used in Dungan, and the form 歌 (pronounced koa, ko or ko͘) is used in Hokkien.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In Chinese, you cannot simply say 'a song' with a number. You must use a measure word, typically 一首歌 (yī shǒu gē). The specific classifier or measure word used for songs is 首 (shǒu). The verb-object construction 唱歌 (chànggē) is the standard way to express the action of 'singing'.
How do you pronounce it?
The Hokkien form 歌 is pronounced /kɤ⁵⁵/ (koa, ko, ko͘).
Did you know?
- The word for 'song' in Chinese shares a common ancestor with the Burmese word က, which means 'to dance'. This implies that in their ancient origins, singing and dancing were viewed as a single, inseparable activity.
- The measure word 首 used for 'song' originally referred to a 'head'. In ancient times, it was used to count poems by their first line or 'head' verse.
- In traditional Chinese opera, the lyrics and the music are often viewed as a single artistic entity. This differs from Western traditions where 'song' often focuses on the melody and 'lyrics' on the text.
Examples in context
- 我爱这首歌。I love this song.This sentence demonstrates how to use the form 歌.Tatoeba #1783804 by sadhen, translation #1553458 by CK
- 和我唱首歌。Sing a song with me.This sentence shows the usage of 歌.Tatoeba #5723950 by xjjAstrus, translation #249616 by CM
- 請唱一首歌。Please sing a song.This sentence illustrates the way to ask someone to sing a song using the form 歌.Tatoeba #6936228 by verdastelo9604, translation #27828 by CK
- 请收听这首美丽的歌曲。Please listen to this beautiful song.
- 我最近听了一首很好听的歌。I recently listened to a very catchy song.
- 老师教我们学唱这首歌曲。The teacher taught us to sing this song.
- 我最近成日听呢首歌。I've been listening to this song a lot recently.
- 91 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a new track.
- 佳怡 Jiayi你听过这首歌吗？Nǐ tīngguò zhè shǒu gē ma?Have you heard this song?
- 浩然 Haoran还没有，好听吗？Hái méiyǒu, hǎotīng ma?Not yet, is it good?
- 佳怡 Jiayi非常好听，旋律很美。Fēicháng hǎotīng, xuánlǜ hěn měi.It's very good, the melody is beautiful.
- 浩然 Haoran那快把这首歌发给我。Nà kuài bǎ zhè shǒu gē fā gěi wǒ.Then send this song to me quickly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “song” translations and entries 歌, 歌曲, 歌, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 歌, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
