歌手

• Pinyin: gē shǒu
• Hanzi breakdown: 歌 = 哥 (elder brother, phonetic) + 欠 (yawn/blow); 手 = pictograph of a hand

Meaning

Singer; vocalist. A person who sings professionally or as a career.

Refers specifically to someone whose profession or main activity is singing. It covers pop singers, opera singers, folk singers, and any other professional vocalist. Unlike 歌星 (singing star), 歌手 is more neutral and does not imply fame.

Examples

1. 她从小就想当一名歌手。 She has wanted to be a singer since she was little.
2. 这位歌手的声音非常好听。 This singer's voice is really beautiful.
3. 昨天晚上有一位歌手在公园里唱歌。 Last night a singer was singing in the park.

Usage Guide

Context: entertainment, music, everyday

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 我最喜欢的歌手是周杰伦。(My favourite singer is Jay Chou.)
• 她是一位很有名的歌手。(She is a very famous singer.)

Don't Say

• 他是一个很好的歌手，他唱了一本歌。(Don't say 一本歌 — songs use the measure word 首, not 本. Say 他唱了一首歌.)

Origin & History

Compound of 歌 (song) and 手 (hand; expert), where 手 functions as an agent suffix meaning 'one who does something,' similar to 选手 (athlete) or 鼓手 (drummer).

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal