演奏

• Reading: えんそう
• Romaji: ensou
• Kanji breakdown: 演 (en) — perform; 奏 (sou) — play music
• Pronunciation: /eɴ.soː/

Meaning

Musical performance; playing music. The act of performing a piece of music on an instrument.

A noun that also functions as a する-verb (演奏する, to perform music). 演奏 specifically refers to instrumental performance, as opposed to singing (歌唱). Common collocations include 演奏会 (concert, recital), 演奏者 (performer), and ライブ演奏 (live performance).

Examples

1. 彼女のピアノ演奏はとても美しかった。 Her piano performance was very beautiful.
2. 音楽祭でバンドが演奏して盛り上がった。 A band performed at the music festival and got everyone excited.
3. 子供のころからバイオリンを演奏している。 I've been playing the violin since I was a child.

Usage Guide

Context: music, concerts, performing arts

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Composed of 演 (perform) and 奏 (play music). Together they mean to perform music, specifically instrumental music.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal