点歌 (diǎn gē) — to choose/request a song (especially at karaoke)

Definition

点歌 is a verb-object phrase: 选 'choose' + 歌 'song' — usually at KTV or on an app, where you pick the next song for everyone to hear.

verb

to choose/request a song (especially at karaoke)

KTV点歌。
Wǒ men yì qǐ qù KTV diǎn gē ba.
Let's go to KTV to pick songs together.
点歌。
Tā xǐ huan zài chī fàn de shí hou yòng shǒu jī diǎn gē.
She likes to request songs on her phone during meals.
？
Nǐ diǎn le jǐ shǒu gē?
How many songs did you request?

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

点diǎnchoose/order

点 means choose or order and 歌 means song, so the word names selecting a song.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 點; 点 is its simplified writing.

黑占點

Meaning part形符xíngfú

黑黑hēiblack

Sound part声符shēngfú

占

占zhàn點diǎn(r)

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 點 pairs 黑 (black) with 占 for its sound; the simplified 点 is a later abbreviation.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

哥欠歌

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

哥

Same sound today

The shape 歌 uses 哥 for the sound and 欠, meaning blow. It came from a form of 哥 used for singing.