Learn a Chinese Character - 歌

1. Character Basics

Radical: 欠 (qiàn, to owe; to lack, indicates sounds/voice)

Stroke Count: 14

Structure Analysis: 左中右结构 (Left-Center-Right structure) - composed of "哥" (gē, elder brother) and "欠" (qiàn, to owe). "哥" provides the sound component, while "欠" suggests an action related to vocal expression.

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: Gē (First tone)

3. Meaning

Core Meaning: Song; to sing

The character "歌" represents the art form of expressing emotions and thoughts through vocal sounds, as well as the act of singing itself. It encompasses both the musical composition and the performance.

4. Common Words

• 歌曲 (gē qǔ) - Song

  Examples: 我喜欢听流行歌曲。(Wǒ xǐhuan tīng liúxíng gēqǔ. - I like listening to pop songs.)

• 唱歌 (chàng gē) - To sing a song

  Examples: 她很会唱歌。(Tā hěn huì chànggē. - She is very good at singing.)

• 国歌 (guó gē) - National anthem

  Examples: 我们在升旗仪式上唱国歌。(Wǒmen zài shēng qí yíshì shàng chàng guógē. - We sing the national anthem at the flag-raising ceremony.)

• 歌词 (gē cí) - Song lyrics

  Examples: 这首歌的歌词很优美。(Zhè shǒu gē de gēcí hěn yōuměi. - The lyrics of this song are very beautiful.)

• 歌手 (gē shǒu) - Singer

  Examples: 他是一位著名的流行歌手。(Tā shì yī wèi zhùmíng de liúxíng gēshǒu. - He is a famous pop singer.)

5. Grammar & Usage

Part of Speech: Primarily used as a noun (song) or verb (to sing)

Usage Patterns:

• As a noun: 这首歌很好听。(Zhè shǒu gē hěn hǎotīng. - This song sounds very nice.)
• As a verb: 他们在歌厅唱歌。(Tāmen zài gētīng chànggē. - They are singing in the karaoke bar.)

Common Collocations:

• 听歌 (tīng gē) - Listen to songs
• 学歌 (xué gē) - Learn a song
• 写歌 (xiě gē) - Write a song
• 儿歌 (ér gē) - Children's songs
• 军歌 (jūn gē) - Military songs

6. Cultural Background

Historical Significance: In Chinese culture, music and songs have played a crucial role since ancient times. The Book of Songs (《诗经》), compiled over 2,500 years ago, is the oldest collection of Chinese poetry and songs, reflecting the lives and emotions of people from that era.

Traditional Music Culture: Chinese traditional music includes various forms such as folk songs, court music, and opera music. Each region has its unique style of folk songs that reflect local customs and dialects.

Modern Relevance: Today, Chinese pop music (Mandopop) has gained global popularity, with artists like Jay Chou and Teresa Teng becoming international stars. Karaoke (KTV) is also a very popular form of entertainment in China.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

Component Analysis: Break down the character into "哥" (gē, elder brother) and "欠" (qiàn, to owe). Imagine an elder brother who loves to sing - this association can help you remember the meaning.

Visual Association: The radical "欠" at the bottom resembles a person opening their mouth wide, which connects to singing or producing sounds.

Vocabulary Family: Learn related words together: 歌 (song), 唱歌 (to sing), 歌手 (singer), 歌曲 (song), 歌词 (lyrics). This reinforces the character's meaning and usage.

Memory Phrase: Create a memorable phrase: "哥哥欠我一首歌" (Gēge qiàn wǒ yī shǒu gē. - Elder brother owes me a song). This combines all components and meanings.