Word
歌手
Meaning in Englishsinger
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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)
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