歌 (gē) means "song" with HSK 1 on the new exam.
Pronunciation
Meaning
Primary: song
Etymology
Oracle-bone origin
歌 is a phono-semantic compound not attested in oracle bone script. The right component 欠 shows a person with an open mouth, supplying the meaning of something produced vocally. The left component 哥 (elder brother, read gē) is purely phonetic and contributes no meaning to the character.
Form evolution
An earlier variant 謌 used 言 (speech) as the semantic element before 欠 became the standard choice. Seal script settled on 歌 with 哥 on the left and 欠 on the right. Clerical and regular script kept this structure unchanged, and there is no simplification difference between traditional and simplified forms.
How the meaning evolved
The original meaning is to sing or chant, and by extension the song itself as a noun. Classical texts also use 歌 for rhythmic recitation of poetry, which in early Chinese was inseparable from music. Modern Mandarin uses it both as a verb in 唱歌 (to sing) and as a noun in 歌曲 (song) and 国歌 (national anthem).
Cultural note
The Book of Songs (诗经), China's oldest poetry anthology, uses 歌 to describe folk songs that were originally sung rather than read. The idiom 载歌载舞 means to sing and dance at the same time and is a standard description of festive celebration.
Basic info
| Pinyin | gē |
| Meanings | song |
| New HSK exam | Recognise at HSK 1 |
| Frequency | #272 most common |
Example sentences
Words containing 歌
On the new HSK 1 exam
Studying for HSK 1? Keep 歌 with the rest of your level.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Reviewed by RJ Murray, Founder, HSK Lord.