歌 means “song”

うた · uta

Also: sing

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

うた, うたう

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

カ

JLPT N4 · Taught in grade 2 · 14 strokes

The story

Two mouths (可可) beside a yawn of breath (欠): song pours from the body like an exhale. In Japan, 歌 reaches back to the 万葉集 (Man'yōshū), the oldest poetry anthology. From enka ballads to karaoke nights, the Japanese love of song has never faded.

Used in 歌手 (kashu, singer), 歌詞 (kashi, lyrics), and 短歌 (tanka, a 31-syllable poem)

Words with 歌

• 短歌 (たんか, tanka): tanka (31-syllable poem)

More from Music & Arts

• 楽 music
• 踊 dance
• 奏 play (music)
• 劇 drama
• 画 painting
• 彫 carve
• 詩 poetry
• 拍 rhythm
• 弦 string (instrument)
• 笛 flute
• 鼓 drum
• 音 sound

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.