歌手

• Reading: かしゅ
• Romaji: kashu
• Kanji breakdown: 歌 (ka) — song, to sing; 手 (shu) — hand, doer
• Pronunciation: /ka.ɕɯ/

Meaning

Singer; vocalist. A person who sings professionally or as a career.

A noun combining 歌 (song) and 手 (person who does something). Refers to professional singers across all genres — pop, enka, opera, and more. Common in entertainment news and daily conversation. Related terms include 歌手デビュー (singer debut) and 演歌歌手 (enka singer).

Examples

1. 彼女は将来歌手になりたいそうだ。 She says she wants to become a singer in the future.
2. 好きな歌手のコンサートに行った。 I went to a concert by my favorite singer.
3. あの歌手の新曲がとても人気だ。 That singer's new song is really popular.

Usage Guide

Context: entertainment, music, careers

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From 歌 (song, to sing) and 手 (hand, here meaning 'one who does'). The suffix 手 is a productive morpheme in Japanese for designating practitioners: 運転手 (driver), 選手 (player/athlete).

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal