Music is a great topic for connecting with Japanese friends. This guide covers genres, instruments, music-related vocabulary, and concert-going expressions.
At a Glance: Music Vocabulary
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 音楽 | おんがく (ongaku) | Music |
| 歌 | うた (uta) | Song |
| 楽器 | がっき (gakki) | Musical instrument |
| 演奏する | えんそうする | Perform / play (an instrument) |
| コンサート | konsa-to | Concert |
| ライブ | raibu | Live performance |
| 作詞 | さくし (sakushi) | Writing lyrics |
| 作曲 | さっきょく (sakkyoku) | Composing music |
Japanese Music Genres
• J-POP — Japanese pop music | 演歌 (えんか, enka) — Traditional Japanese ballads | アニソン (anison) — Anime songs | ボカロ (bokaro) — Vocaloid music | 邦楽 (ほうがく, hougaku) — Japanese music | 洋楽 (ようがく, yougaku) — Western music | ジャズ (jazu) — Jazz
Traditional Instruments
• 三味線 (しゃみせん, shamisen) — 3-stringed lute | 琴 (こと, koto) — Zither | 尺八 (しゃくはち, shakuhachi) — Bamboo flute | 太鼓 (たいこ, taiko) — Japanese drum | 三線 (さんしん, sanshin) — Okinawan 3-string lute
YukaWhat is カラオケ (karaoke) culture like in Japan?
ReiKaraoke is HUGE in Japan — it’s not just for celebrations; it’s a regular social activity with friends, colleagues, and even solo (一人カラオケ, hitori karaoke). You rent a private room and sing as long as you want. The equipment is professional-quality and drinks are ordered from the room. Very different from the open-bar karaoke in other countries!
YukaHow do you say “I play guitar”?
Reiギターを弾く (gitaa wo hiku)! The verb 弾く (hiku) is used for stringed instruments and piano. For wind instruments: 吹く (ふく, fuku). For drums: 叩く (たたく, tataku). So: ドラムを叩く (tataku for drums), フルートを吹く (fuku for flute), ピアノを弾く (hiku for piano).
5 Practice Sentences
| # | Japanese | English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 好きなアーティストのライブに行きたい！ | I want to go to my favorite artist’s live show! |
| 2 | ギターを5年間弾いています。 | I’ve been playing guitar for 5 years. |
| 3 | 友達とカラオケに行って、3時間歌いました。 | I went karaoke with friends and sang for 3 hours. |
| 4 | J-POPとアニソン、どちらが好きですか？ | Which do you prefer, J-POP or anime songs? |
| 5 | 和太鼓の演奏を生で見たことがありますか？ | Have you ever seen a taiko drum performance live? |
Quick Quiz
1. What verb do you use to say “play the piano”? → ピアノを弾く (hiku)
2. What is 一人カラオケ (hitori karaoke)? → Solo karaoke — going to karaoke alone
3. What is 演歌 (enka)? → Traditional Japanese ballad music
Practice in the Comments!
Try using one of today’s words in a sentence in the comments! Join the Top Commenters ranking!
Keep Learning: Vocabulary Hub | Hobby Vocabulary | Onomatopoeia Guide
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