歌 (gē) — song
Definition
歌 (gē) is the noun 'song' — a piece of music, counted with 首 or 支. To sing it, use the verb 唱; 歌曲 is a more formal written synonym.
noun
song
Measure word · 支, 首
Examples
- 歌。Wǒ chàng le gē.I sang a song.
- 歌。Wǒ xǐ huan tīng gē.I like listening to songs.
- ？Nǐ chàng gē ma?Do you sing?
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
The shape 歌 uses 哥 for the sound and 欠, meaning blow. It came from a form of 哥 used for singing.
Appears in
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