唱

• Pinyin: chàng
• Hanzi breakdown: 唱 = 口 (mouth) + 昌 (phonetic) — producing sound from the mouth

Meaning

To sing. The verb for producing musical sounds with one's voice.

Used for singing in general. Often combined with 歌 to form 唱歌 (to sing songs). Can also take a specific song as object: 唱一首歌 (sing a song). Appears in compounds like 唱片 (record/vinyl) and 合唱 (chorus).

Examples

1. 她唱得很好听。 She sings beautifully.
2. 他在唱一首中文歌。 He's singing a Chinese song.
3. 她每天都会唱两首歌。 She sings two songs every day.

Usage Guide

Context: music, entertainment, everyday

Tone: lively

Do Say

• 你会唱这首歌吗？(Can you sing this song?)
• 她唱得真好。(She sings really well.)

Don't Say

• 唱话 to mean 'to speak' (唱 is only for singing — use 说 or 讲 for speaking)

Origin & History

Composed of 口 (mouth) and 昌 (prosperous, bright — used as phonetic). The mouth radical indicates the action involves vocal production.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal