合唱

• Pinyin: hé chàng
• Hanzi breakdown: 合 = 亼 (collect) + 口 (mouth) — voices coming together; 唱 = 口 (mouth) + 昌 (prosperous/flourishing) — to sing out

Meaning

To sing in chorus; choral singing. A coordinated group vocal performance with multiple singers performing together.

Common in school activities, national celebrations, and organized community events in China. Choral groups are a fixture of cultural and educational institutions. Also used metaphorically to describe coordinated joint efforts or voices speaking in unison. The act of harmonised group singing carries strong communal connotations.

Examples

1. 全校师生在操场上合唱了一首歌颂祖国的歌曲，场面震撼人心。 All the teachers and students sang a song praising the motherland on the field—the scene was breathtaking.
2. 这支由退休教师组成的合唱团演唱出了令人动容的专业水准。 This choir made up of retired teachers sang with a moving, professional level of skill.
3. 最后一幕，演员们在舞台上合唱，将整场演出推向了情感高潮。 In the final scene, the cast sang together onstage, pushing the entire performance to an emotional climax.

Usage Guide

Context: music, school events, celebrations, performing arts

Tone: festive

Do Say

• 我们班在文艺晚会上合唱了一首传世经典，赢得了观众的热烈掌声。(Our class performed a timeless classic in chorus at the arts evening, winning enthusiastic applause from the audience.)
• 合唱需要每位成员在保持个人声部的同时融入整体音效。(Choral singing requires each member to maintain their individual part while blending into the overall sound.)

Don't Say

• 合唱 when only two people sing together — use 二重唱 for a duet; 合唱 implies a group or chorus context with multiple singers

Origin & History

合 (together; combined; joint) + 唱 (to sing; vocal performance)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal