Word
歌手
Meaning in Englishsinger
Animated kanji stroke order
Sentence
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Word context
What it means
What does 歌手 mean? It denotes a person who sings, a singer or vocalist, typically a public performer such as a recording artist or stage singer.
Main meanings
- Basic sense: a person who sings, especially as a public performer
- Professional or notable singers across genres, from pop to opera
- Gender-neutral term used in formal and media contexts
How to use it
Used in neutral, formal, and media contexts to refer to a person who sings; common phrases include an era of being a popular singer, such as 有名な歌手. In casual speech or online contexts, loanwords like シンガー are often heard, and for classical repertoire the term 声楽家 may be used for precision.
Variants and close terms
- シンガー (shingā) — singer, modern loanword often used in pop culture
- ボーカリスト (bōkarisuto) — vocalist, loanword from English
- 歌い手 (utaite) — online or informal singer, especially on social platforms
- 声楽家 (seigakuka) — classical singer
Composition
- 歌: song, to sing
- 手: hand, worker; in compounds indicates a person who performs the action
Etymology
ka (on-yomi of 歌) + shu (on-yomi of 手) combine to form 歌手, pronounced kashu; this reflects a Sino-Japanese compound whose pronunciation streamlined into a single word for “singer.”
Word class
noun (名詞)
Word
Related words by kanji and components
N3
手術
shujutsu
surgery, medical operation
N3
手段
shudan
means, method, measure
N3
助手
joshu
assistant, helper, aide
N3
相手
aite
other person, partner, addressee, opponent
N3
握手
akushu
handshake
N3
歌謡
kayou
popular song, ballad
N3
選手
senshu
player, athlete, competitor
N4
手袋
tebukuro
gloves
N4
手伝う
tetsudau
help, assist
Kanji