奏

• Pinyin: zòu
• Hanzi breakdown: 奏 = 春 variant (phonetic) + 天, originally hands presenting something upward

Meaning

To play a musical instrument; to perform music; to produce results.

Primarily used for playing musical instruments, especially classical or formal performances. Also appears in compounds like 节奏 (rhythm), 奏效 (to take effect), and 演奏 (to perform music). In classical Chinese, also meant to present a memorial to the emperor.

Examples

1. 她用小提琴奏了一曲贝多芬的月光奏鸣曲，全场观众都陶醉其中。 She played Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata on the violin, and the entire audience was mesmerized.
2. 这首交响曲需要整个乐团配合默契才能奏出最佳效果。 This symphony requires the whole orchestra to work in perfect harmony to achieve the best effect.
3. 我们尝试了很多方法，终于有一个奏效了，问题迎刃而解。 We tried many methods, and finally one worked — the problem was solved.

Usage Guide

Context: music, performance, results

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 他奏了一首古典曲子。(He played a classical piece.)
• 这个方法奏效了。(This method worked.)

Don't Say

• 我奏吉他很厉害。(For casual playing, 弹吉他 is more natural than 奏吉他)

Origin & History

Originally depicted hands presenting something upward, hence the classical meaning of presenting a memorial to the emperor. The meaning extended to playing music as an offering.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal