音乐

• Pinyin: yīn yuè
• Hanzi breakdown: 音 = 立 (stand) + 日 (mouth producing sound), meaning 'sound'; 乐 = simplified from 樂, originally a pictograph of a stringed instrument

Meaning

Music. The art of combining sounds and rhythms to create melodies and compositions.

The general word for 'music' in Chinese, covering all genres and styles. Used in many compounds: 音乐会 (concert), 音乐家 (musician), 音乐课 (music class), 流行音乐 (pop music), 古典音乐 (classical music).

Examples

1. 我喜欢听音乐。 I like listening to music.
2. 她每天练习弹钢琴，因为她很爱音乐。 She practises piano every day because she loves music.
3. 这首音乐听起来很好听。 This piece of music sounds beautiful.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, hobbies, culture

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你喜欢什么样的音乐？(What kind of music do you like?)
• 他在学校教音乐。(He teaches music at school.)

Don't Say

• 我听了一个音乐。(Don't use 个 as the measure word for music — say 一首音乐 for a piece of music, or just 听音乐 without a measure word.)

Origin & History

Compound of 音 (sound) and 乐 (joy/music), literally 'joyful sounds.' The character 乐 has dual readings: yuè for 'music' and lè for 'happy.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal