歌

See also: 欨

歌	U+6B4C, 歌 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-6B4C

← 歋

CJK Unified Ideographs

歍 →

Translingual

Stroke order

Han character

歌 (Kangxi radical 76, 欠+10, 14 strokes, cangjie input 一口弓人 (MRNO) or 難一口弓人 (XMRNO), four-corner 1768₂, composition ⿰哥欠)

Derived characters

𫉸

References

Kangxi Dictionary: page 571, character 7
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 16167
Dae Jaweon: page 959, character 6
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 3, page 2147, character 12
Unihan data for U+6B4C

Chinese

simp. and trad.		歌
alternative forms		謌／𬤐哥𡃭𣤑𣤒

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 歌
Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Characters in the same phonetic series (可) (Zhengzhang, 2003)

	Old Chinese
砢	*ɡ·raːlʔ
柯	*kaːl
菏	kaːl, ɡaːl
牁	*kaːl
滒	*kaːl
哥	*kaːl
歌	*kaːl
謌	*kaːl
鴚	*kaːl
哿	*kaːlʔ
舸	*kaːlʔ
笴	kaːlʔ, kaːnʔ
軻	kʰaːl, kʰaːlʔ, *kʰaːls
珂	*kʰaːl
可	*kʰaːlʔ
岢	*kʰaːlʔ
坷	kʰaːlʔ, kʰaːls
蚵	kʰaːls, ɡaːl
呵	qʰaːl, qʰaːls
訶	*qʰaːl
抲	*qʰaːl
荷	qʰaːls, ɡaːl, *ɡaːlʔ
何	ɡaːl, ɡaːlʔ
河	*ɡaːl
苛	*ɡaːl
魺	*ɡaːl
袔	*ɡaːls
阿	*qaːl
妸	qaːl, qaːlʔ
疴	qaːl, kʰraːls
鈳	*qaːl
娿	qaːl, qaːlʔ
痾	*qaːl
跒	*kʰraːlʔ
閜	*qʰraːlʔ

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kaːl) : phonetic 哥 (OC *kaːl) + semantic 欠 (“blow”). Specialized form of 哥 (OC *kaːl, “to sing”).

Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *gaːr ~ *ga (“to dance; to sing; to leap; to stride”). Cognate with Burmese က (ka., “to dance”).

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): gē (ge¹)

(Zhuyin): ㄍㄜ

(Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): go¹

(Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): гә (gə, I)
Cantonese
(Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): go¹

(Taishan, Wiktionary): go⁴, go^4*, go¹
Gan (Wiktionary): go¹
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): kô

(Meixian, Guangdong): go¹
Jin (Wiktionary): ge¹
Northern Min (KCR): gó̤
Eastern Min (BUC): gŏ̤
Southern Min
(Hokkien, POJ): koa / ko / ko͘

(Teochew, Peng'im): gua¹ / go¹
Wu (Wugniu)
- (Northern): ¹ku
Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): go¹

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: gē
  - Zhuyin: ㄍㄜ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: ge
  - Wade–Giles: ko¹
  - Yale: gē
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ge
  - Palladius: гэ (gɛ)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɤ⁵⁵/
- (Standard Chinese, erhua-ed) (歌兒／歌儿)
  - Hanyu Pinyin: gēr
  - Zhuyin: ㄍㄜㄦ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: ger
  - Wade–Giles: ko¹-ʼrh
  - Yale: gēr
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ge'l
  - Palladius: гэр (gɛr)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɤɻ⁵⁵/
  - Homophones:
    ^edit
    ^edit
    哥兒／哥儿
    歌兒／歌儿
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: go¹
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: go
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ko⁵⁵/
- (Dungan)
  - Cyrillic and Wiktionary: гә (gə, I)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kə²⁴/
  (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: go¹
  - Yale: gō
  - Cantonese Pinyin: go¹
  - Guangdong Romanization: go¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɔː⁵⁵/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: go⁴, go^4*, go¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kᵘɔ²¹/, /kᵘɔ²¹⁻²¹⁵/, /kᵘɔ³³/

Note:

go4* - standalone or as the head of a compound;
go1 - variant for verb.

Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary: go¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ko⁴²/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: kô
  - Hakka Romanization System: go´
  - Hagfa Pinyim: go¹
  - Sinological IPA: /ko²⁴/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: go¹
  - Sinological IPA: /ko⁴⁴/
Jin
- (Taiyuan)⁺
  - Wiktionary: ge¹
  - Sinological IPA (old-style): /kɤ¹¹/
Northern Min
- (Jian'ou)
  - Kienning Colloquial Romanized: gó̤
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɔ⁵⁴/
Eastern Min
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: gŏ̤
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ko⁵⁵/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: koa
  - Tâi-lô: kua
  - Phofsit Daibuun: koaf
  - IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung): /kua⁴⁴/
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /kua³³/
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ko
  - Tâi-lô: ko
  - Phofsit Daibuun: koy
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /kɤ⁴⁴/
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /ko³³/
  - IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei): /ko⁴⁴/
- (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ko͘
  - Tâi-lô: koo
  - Phofsit Daibuun: kof
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /kɔ³³/

Note:

koa - vernacular;
ko, ko͘ - literary.

(Teochew)
- Peng'im: gua¹ / go¹
- Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: kua / ko
- Sinological IPA ^(key): /kua³³/, /ko³³/

Note:

gua1 - vernacular;
go1 - literary.

Wu
- (Shanghai):
  - Wugniu: ¹ku
  - MiniDict: ku^平
  - Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹ku
  - Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /ku⁵³/
Xiang
- (Changsha)
  - Wiktionary: go¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ko³³/

Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 歌
Mandarin	Beijing	/kɤ⁵⁵/
	Harbin	/kɤ⁴⁴/
	Tianjin	/kɤ²¹/
	Jinan	/kə²¹³/
	Qingdao	/kə²¹³/ 新 /kuə²¹³/ 老
	Zhengzhou	/kɤ²⁴/
	Xi'an	/kɤ²¹/
	Xining	/kɔ⁴⁴/
	Yinchuan	/kə⁴⁴/
	Lanzhou	/kə³¹/
	Ürümqi	/kɤ⁴⁴/
	Wuhan	/kuo⁵⁵/
	Chengdu	/ko⁵⁵/
	Guiyang	/ko⁵⁵/
	Kunming	/ko⁴⁴/
	Nanjing	/ko³¹/
	Hefei	/kʊ²¹/
Jin	Taiyuan	/kɤ¹¹/
	Pingyao	/kɔ¹³/
	Hohhot	/kɤ³¹/
Wu	Shanghai	/ku⁵³/
	Suzhou	/kəu⁵⁵/
	Hangzhou	/ko³³/
	Wenzhou	/ku³³/
Hui	Shexian	/ko³¹/
Hui	Tunxi	/ko¹¹/
Xiang	Changsha	/ko³³/
Xiang	Xiangtan	/ko³³/
Gan	Nanchang	/ko⁴²/
Hakka	Meixian	/ko⁴⁴/
Hakka	Taoyuan	/ko²⁴/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/kɔ⁵³/
	Nanning	/kɔ⁵⁵/
	Hong Kong	/kɔ⁵⁵/
Min	Xiamen (Hokkien)	/ko⁵⁵/ /kua⁵⁵/
	Fuzhou (Eastern Min)	/ko⁴⁴/
	Jian'ou (Northern Min)	/kɔ⁵⁴/
	Shantou (Teochew)	/ko³³/ /kua³³/
	Haikou (Hainanese)	/ko²³/ /kua²³/

Middle Chinese: ka

Rime
Character	歌
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	見 (28)
Final (韻)	歌 (94)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	古俄切
Baxter	ka
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/kɑ/
Pan Wuyun	/kɑ/
Shao Rongfen	/kɑ/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ka/
Li Rong	/kɑ/
Wang Li	/kɑ/
Bernard Karlgren	/kɑ/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	gē
Expected Cantonese Reflex	go¹

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart): /*ˤaj/

(Zhengzhang): /*kaːl/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	歌
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	gē
Middle Chinese	‹ ka ›
Old Chinese	/*ˁaj/
English	sing, song
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. * as coda may in fact be -t or -p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	歌
Reading #	1/1
No.	7438
Phonetic component	可
Rime group	歌
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	歌
Old Chinese	/*kaːl/

Definitions

歌

to sing; to chant
高歌 ― gāogē ― to sing loudly
- 心之憂矣，我歌且謠。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
  心之忧矣，我歌且谣。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
  Xīn zhī yōu yǐ, wǒ gē qiě yáo.
  My heart is grieved, and I chant and sing.
- 與君歌一曲，請君爲我側耳聽。 [MSC, trad.]
  与君歌一曲，请君为我侧耳听。 [MSC, simp.]
  From: 752, Li Bai, 《將進酒》
  Yǔ jūn gē yī qū, qǐng jūn wèi wǒ cè'ěr tīng.
  (please add an English translation of this usage example)
- 明明未在座　都給缺席的這個你遙遠地歌 [Literary Cantonese, trad.]
  明明未在座　都给缺席的这个你遥远地歌 [Literary Cantonese, simp.]
  From: 2022, 馮允謙 [Jay Fung], lyrics by 黃偉文 [Wyman Wong], 給缺席的人唱首歌
  ming⁴ ming⁴ mei⁶ zoi⁶ zo⁶, dou¹ kap¹ kyut³ zik⁶ dik¹ ze³ go³ nei⁵ jiu⁴ jyun⁵ dei⁶ go¹
  Clearly not present, but still sing for you, this absentee, from a distance
song; tune (Classifier: 首 m c mn; 支 m c; 闋／阕 m; 隻／只 c w; 條／条 h mn; 塊／块 mn)
歌曲 ― gēqǔ ― song

民歌 ― míngē ― folk song
- 跛：這條歌真有意思。 [Hokkien, trad.]
  跛：这条歌真有意思。 [Hokkien, simp.]
  From: Chiok Sèng-tàn Ke̍k 祝聖誕劇, part 1, in 台語文數位典藏資料庫
  Pái: Chit tiâu koa chin ū ì-sù. [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]
  Cripple: This song is really interesting.
to praise
- 求能讓我歌…一生一世未夠！ [Literary Cantonese, trad.]
  求能让我歌…一生一世未够！ [Literary Cantonese, simp.]
  From: 2015, 陳明恩 [Corinna Chamberlain], lyrics by 西伯, 誰被祢揀選
  kau⁴ nang⁴ joeng⁶ ngo⁵ go¹... jat¹ sang¹ jat¹ sai³ mei⁶ gau³!
  I ask that You may allow me to praise You... my whole life would not be enough!

Synonyms

(song):

唱 (chàng)
曲 (qǔ)
歌子 (gēzi) (colloquial)
歌曲 (gēqǔ)

Compounds

References

“歌”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎, 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–

Japanese

Kanji

歌

(grade 2 “Kyōiku” kanji)

Readings

Go-on: か (ka, Jōyō)
Kan-on: か (ka, Jōyō)
Kun: うたう (utau, 歌う, Jōyō)^{←うたふ (utafu, 歌ふ, historical)}; うた (uta, 歌, Jōyō)

Compounds

Etymology 1

Japanese Wikipedia has an article on:

歌

Wikipedia ^ja

Kanji in this term
歌
うた Grade: 2
kun’yomi

Alternative spellings
唄詩謳

From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *ota.

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) うた (Odaka – )
IPA^(key):

Noun

歌(うた) • (uta)

(music) a song
氷(こおり)と炎(ほのお)の歌(うた)
Kōri to Honō no Uta
A Song of Ice and Fire
(poetry) poetry

Usage notes

Despite 歌, 唄, and 詩 having the same kun-yomi reading of uta: 詩 refers to modern poetry, 歌 to songs and classical Japanese poetry (such as tanka), and 唄 is primarily used in shamisen songs.