Translation and Meaning of: 歌 - uta

If you've ever heard a Japanese song, you've probably come across the word 歌 (うた - uta), which means both "music" and "poetry." But does this small word hide more than it seems? In this article, you will discover the etymology, the pictogram, and how the Japanese use this expression in their daily lives. Furthermore, if you are studying Japanese, you will learn memorization tips and even some curiosities that even the most dedicated fans may not know. And if you use Anki or another spaced repetition program, get ready to include practical examples in your deck!

The origin and etymology of 歌

The word 歌 has deep roots in the Japanese language, dating back to the Nara period (710-794), when classical poetry waka began to flourish. The kanji itself is composed of two elements: the radical 欠 (which represents an open mouth, associated with singing) and 哥 (an ancient Chinese character related to melody). Together, they convey the idea of "a voice producing harmonious sounds."

Interestingly, in ancient China, this same kanji was used more for "singing" than for "instrumental music." This nuance reached Japan, but over time, uta came to encompass any type of song, from traditional hymns to the latest J-POP hit. And here's a catch: although "uta" is generic, Japanese people often use 音楽 (ongaku) to refer to music as an abstract art, while 歌 carries a more personal, almost intimate tone.

The pictogram and the writing of 歌

Looking at the kanji 歌, can you picture someone singing with their mouth wide open? That’s exactly the image the ancient Chinese aimed to convey. The left side (欠) symbolizes a yawn or sigh, while the right side (哥) was used in ancient characters for repetitive sounds, like the singing of birds. Together, they create an almost poetic visual representation of the act of singing.

In modern writing, this kanji has 14 strokes and is considered an intermediate level in the JLPT N2. A tip for memorizing it? Think of "two mouths (哥) above a sigh (欠)", as if they were two people singing together. If you've ever had that moment of humming a song unconsciously, now you know you are literally "doing 歌" in the purest sense of the ideogram!

Lies in everyday life and pop culture

In Japan, uta goes far beyond the dictionary. It's common to hear phrases like 歌が上手いね (uta ga umai ne) - "You sing well!" - in karaoke, or 歌詞 (kashi) for song lyrics. Even the famous karaoke app Uta Pass from DAM carries the name of this word. And who hasn't seen an anime episode where a character says something like 「歌には力がある」 (uta ni wa chikara ga aru) - "Songs have power"?

An interesting fact: in 2019, a survey showed that uta was among the 50 most sung words in Japanese songs over the past 30 years. From classic enka to bands like ONE OK ROCK, the word appears in both nostalgic contexts ("あの歌を思い出す" - "I remember that song") and modern lyrics. So, do you already know what your next song to practice Japanese will be?

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 唄 (uta) - Song, music
• 歌 (uta) - Song, song (general, more common)
• 歌曲 (kakyoku) - Song, music (more formal)
• 歌唱 (kashou) - Singing, vocal performance
• 歌謡 (kayou) - Popular music, traditional songs
• 歌声 (utagoe) - Singing voice
• 歌手 (kashu) - singer)
• 歌詞 (kashi) - Lyrics of a song
• 歌舞 (kabuki) - Traditional Japanese musical theater
• 歌舞伎 (kabuki) - Traditional Japanese theater, with dance and music
• 歌姫 (utahime) - Goddess of song, reference to a famous singer
• 歌劇 (kageki) - opera
• 歌集 (kashuu) - Collection of songs
• 歌曲集 (kakyokushuu) - Collection of songs
• 歌手業 (kashugyou) - Singer profession
• 歌唱力 (kashouryoku) - Vocal skill, singing technique
• 歌唱法 (kashouhou) - Singing methods
• 歌声喫茶 (utagoe kissaten) - Cafeteria where you sing
• 歌声訓練 (utagoe kunren) - Vocal training
• 歌謡曲 (kayoukyoku) - Popular songs
• 歌謡界 (kayoukai) - World of popular songs
• 歌謡番組 (kayou bangumi) - Popular music program
• 歌謡ショー (kayou shou) - Show of popular songs
• 歌謡スター (kayou sutaa) - Star of popular music
• 歌謡界の女王 (kayoukai no joou) - Queen of the world of popular songs
• 歌謡界の帝王 (kayoukai no teiou) - Emperor of the world of popular songs
• 歌謡界の重鎮 (kayoukai no juuchin) - Prominent figure in the world of popular songs
• 歌謡界の大御所 (kayoukai no oogosho) - Veteran in the world of popular songs

歌

Romaji: uta
Kana: うた
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n5

Translation / Meaning: music; poetry

Meaning in English: song;poetry

Definition: When someone sings a poem out loud in a musical tone.

Example Sentences - (歌) uta

See below some example sentences:

私は歌手になりたいです。

Watashi wa kashu ni naritai desu

I want to become a singer.

I want to be a singer.

• 私 - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• は - topic particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 歌手 - Japanese noun that means "singer" or "musical artist"
• に - particle that indicates the function or objective of an action, in this case, "to become"
• なりたい - Japanese verb in the present tense and affirmative form that means "to want to become"
• です - Japanese verb in the present tense and polite form that functions as an auxiliary verb to indicate courtesy or formality in communication

私はいつも口ずさむ歌があります。

Watashi wa itsumo kuchizusamu uta ga arimasu

I always have a song that I sing.

I always have a song to hum.

• 私 (watashi) - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - Japanese particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "I"
• いつも (itsumo) - Japanese adverb meaning "always"
• 口ずさむ (kuchizusamu) - Japanese verb that means "to hum"
• 歌 (uta) - Japanese noun meaning "song"
• が (ga) - Japanese particle that marks the subject of the sentence, in this case, "song".
• あります (arimasu) - Japanese verb that means "exist", in this case, "exists"

短歌を詠むことは日本の伝統的な文化です。

Tanka wo utamu koto wa Nihon no dentōteki na bunka desu

Composing tanka is a traditional Japanese culture.

Writing a tanka is a traditional Japanese culture.

• 短歌 - a type of Japanese poem with 31 syllables
• を - Particle indicating the direct object of the sentence
• 詠む - verb meaning "to recite" or "to sing" a poem
• こと - noun that indicates an action or event
• は - Particle indicating the topic of the sentence
• 日本 - Japan
• の - Particle indicating possession or relationship
• 伝統的な - adjective meaning "traditional"
• 文化 - culture
• です - verb "to be" in the present affirmative

歌を歌うことは私の生きる喜びです。

Uta wo utau koto wa watashi no ikiru yorokobi desu

Singing is the joy of my life.

Singing a song is my joy in life.

• 歌を歌うこと (uta wo utau koto) - sing a song
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 私の (watashi no) - my
• 生きる (ikiru) - live
• 喜び (yorokobi) - joy
• です (desu) - Verb to be/estar

コーラスは歌に深みを与える。

Kōrasu wa uta ni fukami o ataeru

O refrão dá profundidade a uma música.

The chorus gives depth to the song.

• コーラス - Chorus
• は - Topic particle
• 歌 - song
• に - Target particle
• 深み - Depth
• を - object particle
• 与える - To give

彼女の歌声には感心する。

Kanojo no utagoe ni wa kanshin suru

I am impressed with her singing voice.

I'm impressed with her singing voice.

• 彼女 - she
• の - of
• 歌声 - Singing voice
• に - in
• は - (topic particle)
• 感心 - admiration, praise
• する - make

歌謡は日本の伝統的な音楽ジャンルです。

Kayou wa Nihon no dentouteki na ongaku janru desu

Kayo is a traditional Japanese music genre.

• 歌謡 - Japanese folk song
• は - Topic particle
• 日本 - Japan
• の - Possession particle
• 伝統的な - Traditional
• 音楽 - music
• ジャンル - genre
• です - Verb ser/estar (polite form)

私は毎日歌うことが好きです。

Watashi wa mainichi utau koto ga suki desu

I like to sing every day.

• 私 (watashi) - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - topic particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 毎日 (mainichi) - adverb meaning "every day"
• 歌う (utau) - verb meaning "to sing"
• こと (koto) - noun that means "thing"
• が (ga) - particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 好き (suki) - adjective meaning "to like"
• です (desu) - linking verb that indicates the formality of the sentence