歌词

• Pinyin: gē cí
• Hanzi breakdown: 歌 = 哥 (phonetic) + 欠 (breath), meaning song; 词 = 讠 (speech) + 司 (manage), meaning words/lyrics

Meaning

Lyrics; song lyrics. The words of a song.

The textual component of songs: 写歌词 (write lyrics), 歌词作者 (lyricist), 歌词大意 (gist of lyrics). In Chinese pop music, lyricists are often credited separately from composers. Famous lyricists like 林夕 and 方文山 are celebrities in their own right. Related: 曲 (melody), 词曲 (lyrics and melody).

Examples

1. 这首歌的歌词写得很有诗意，听了让人回味无穷。 The lyrics of this song are very poetic and leave a lasting impression.
2. 他是华语乐坛最著名的歌词作者之一。 He is one of the most famous lyricists in the Chinese music scene.
3. 我听不懂日语，但这首歌的旋律太美了，想查一下歌词的意思。 I don't understand Japanese, but the melody is so beautiful — I want to look up what the lyrics mean.

Usage Guide

Context: music, entertainment, culture

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 这首歌的歌词是谁写的？(Who wrote the lyrics for this song?)
• 歌词很感人。(The lyrics are very moving.)

Don't Say

• 把诗歌叫歌词 (Don't call poetry 歌词 unless it's actually set to music — use 诗 or 诗歌 for poetry)

Origin & History

Compound of 歌 (song) + 词 (words, lyrics). 词 originally referred to a classical Chinese poetic form, later extended to song lyrics.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal