诗歌

• Pinyin: shī gē
• Hanzi breakdown: 诗 = 讠(speech) + 寺 (temple, phonetic); 歌 = 哥 (brother) + 欠 (yawn)

Meaning

Poetry; poems; verse.

A general term for poetry as a literary form, combining 诗 (poem) and 歌 (song) since Chinese poetry was traditionally sung. Covers all forms of Chinese poetry from classical to modern. Different from 诗 alone which can mean a single poem.

Examples

1. 李白是中国历史上最伟大的诗歌作者之一。 Li Bai is one of the greatest poets in Chinese history.
2. 这首诗歌表达了作者对故乡的深深思念。 This poem expresses the author's deep longing for their hometown.
3. 她从小就喜欢诗歌，现在自己也会写一些。 She's loved poetry since childhood, and now she writes some herself.

Usage Guide

Context: literature, education, art

Tone: literary

Do Say

• 我很喜欢中国古典诗歌。(I love classical Chinese poetry.)
• 诗歌是人类情感的结晶。(Poetry is the crystallization of human emotion.)

Don't Say

• 写一个诗歌 — use 首 as the measure word: 写一首诗歌

Origin & History

Compound of 诗 (poem) + 歌 (song), reflecting the traditional unity of poetry and music in Chinese literature.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal