Onyomi: カ · Kunyomi: うた, うた.う · Meanings: sing, song
Kanji for sing, song
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The kanji 歌 combines the “step/foot” radical (止) with the phonetic and semantic element 可, symbolizing movement and voice together. In ancient times, it represented singing while moving or dancing, combining melody and rhythm. 歌 came to mean song or singing, capturing the joy of music, voice, and expression.
Steps and sound together — 歌 means song or singing, expressing music and rhythm.
Imagine someone singing and dancing with each step — that’s 歌, the kanji for song, music, and joy.
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Meta |
|---|---|---|---|
| 歌 | うた | song, singing | common JLPT-N5 Noun |
| 歌う | うたう | to sing | common JLPT-N5 Godan verb with 'u' ending, Transitive verb, Intransitive verb |
| 歌手 | かしゅ | singer | common JLPT-N3 Noun |
| 歌舞伎 | かぶき | kabuki, traditional form of drama and music performed by male actors wearing makeup mainly in white and red | common Noun |
| 歌留多 | カルタ | karuta, traditional Japanese playing cards, esp. hyakunin isshu karuta or iroha karuta | common JLPT-N2 JLPT-N1 Noun |
| 歌詞 | かし | song lyrics, words of a song, libretto | common Noun |
| 歌唱 | かしょう | song, singing | common Noun, Suru verb, Transitive verb, Intransitive verb |
| 歌声 | うたごえ | singing voice, (sound of) singing | common Noun |
| 歌劇 | かげき | opera | common Noun |
| 歌い手 | うたいて | singer, vocalist | Noun |