イントロ

• Reading: イントロ
• Romaji: intoro
• Kanji breakdown: From English 'intro' (introduction). Katakana loanword.
• Pronunciation: /in.to.ɾo/

Meaning

The intro; the instrumental opening section of a song before the vocals begin.

イントロ is widely used in music discussion and has spawned the hugely popular 'イントロクイズ' (intro quiz) — a TV game show staple where contestants race to identify songs from just the first few seconds. In casual conversation, a great intro is a mark of quality, and fans often debate whether songs should have long intros or get straight to the point. The trend toward shorter intros in streaming-era music is a frequent topic of discussion.

Examples

1. このイントロ聴いた瞬間テンション上がるわ。 The second I hear this intro my energy just skyrockets.
2. イントロクイズで一音目で当てるやつ本当にすごい。 People who can guess the song from the very first note in an intro quiz are seriously impressive.
3. 最近の曲、イントロなしでいきなりサビから始まるの多くない？ Don't you think a lot of recent songs skip the intro and jump straight into the chorus?

Usage Guide

Context: music discussion, karaoke, friends, social media

Tone: enthusiastic

Do Say

• イントロが長い曲って最近少なくなったよね。 (Songs with long intros have gotten rare lately.)
• このイントロだけで名曲ってわかる。 (You can tell it's a classic just from this intro.)

Don't Say

• 映画やドラマの冒頭を「イントロ」とは普通言わない — use 冒頭 or オープニング for non-music contexts

Common Mistakes

• Confusing イントロ with 前奏 — they're synonymous but イントロ is more casual and common in everyday conversation

Origin & History

From English 'intro' (introduction). Entered Japanese music vocabulary decades ago and is now standard. Particularly popularized through イントロクイズ (intro quiz) segments on music variety shows.

Cultural Context

Era: Long-established loanword, イントロクイズ popular since the 1980s

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. イントロクイズ remains a staple TV format, and identifying songs from their intro is considered an impressive skill.