Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ====== yuèduì: 乐队 - Band, Orchestra ====== ===== Quick Summary ===== * **Keywords:** 乐队, yuedui, Chinese for band, Chinese for orchestra, musical group in Chinese, rock band in Chinese, C-rock, Chinese indie bands, 五月天, Mayday, 新裤子, New Pants, live music in China. * **Summary:** The Chinese word **乐队 (yuèduì)** is the essential term for any musical group, translating to both "band" and "orchestra". Whether you're discussing a modern C-rock indie band like 新裤子 (New Pants), a legendary pop-rock group like 五月天 (Mayday), or the China National Symphony Orchestra, 乐队 is the word you need. This page explores its meaning, cultural significance in China's evolving music scene, and how to use it accurately in conversation. ===== Core Meaning ===== * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** yuèduì * **Part of Speech:** Noun * **HSK Level:** HSK 4 * **Concise Definition:** A group of musicians who perform together; a band or an orchestra. * **In a Nutshell:** Think of 乐队 (yuèduì) as "music team". It's the standard, versatile term for any organized group of instrumentalists and/or vocalists. From a three-person punk band playing in a basement to a hundred-member symphony orchestra on a grand stage, 乐队 is the correct and most common way to describe them. ===== Character Breakdown ===== * **乐 (yuè):** This character means "music". Its ancient form is a pictograph of a stringed instrument, like a zither, on a wooden stand. It represents harmony and melody. (Note: This character is pronounced `lè` when it means "happy" or "joyful," but in the context of music, it's always `yuè`.) * **队 (duì):** This character means "team," "squad," or "a row of people." It's composed of the "ear" radical on the left (阝), which often relates to places or formations, and a person. It implies an organized group with a common purpose. When combined, 乐 (music) + 队 (team) literally creates "music team," a perfect and logical description for a band or orchestra. ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== The concept of a 乐队 in China has undergone a dramatic evolution. While China has a rich history of traditional musical ensembles, the modern term 乐队 is closely tied to the adoption of Western musical formats. In the 20th century, 乐队 primarily referred to Western-style symphony orchestras (交响乐队, jiāoxiǎng yuèduì) and military bands. However, with the "Reform and Opening Up" period starting in the late 1970s, Western rock and pop music flooded into China, inspiring a new generation. The 1980s and 90s saw the birth of "C-Rock" (Chinese Rock), with pioneering bands like Cui Jian (崔健) becoming cultural icons. This marked a significant shift, where 乐队 began to represent youth culture, rebellion, and artistic expression, much like the rock and roll movement in the West. Today, the 乐队 scene is more vibrant than ever. Reality shows like "The Big Band" (乐队的夏天) have brought indie and rock bands into the mainstream, creating national stars out of groups like 新裤子 (New Pants) and 痛仰 (Miserable Faith). This is different from the Western experience where "indie" often remains niche; in China, a popular TV show can turn an underground band into a household name overnight. The idea of a 乐队 is now central to modern Chinese youth culture, representing creativity, collaboration, and the sound of a new generation. ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== 乐队 is a common, neutral term used in everyday conversation. You can easily specify the type of musical group by adding a descriptor before it. * **Specifying Genre:** * **摇滚乐队 (yáogǔn yuèduì):** Rock band * **流行乐队 (liúxíng yuèduì):** Pop band * **爵士乐队 (juéshì yuèduì):** Jazz band * **独立乐队 (dúlì yuèduì):** Indie band * **Specifying Format:** * **交响乐队 (jiāoxiǎng yuèduì):** Symphony orchestra * **管弦乐队 (guǎnxián yuèduì):** Orchestra (literally "wind and string team") * **Common Verbs:** * **组一个乐队 (zǔ yī gè yuèduì):** To form a band * **参加乐队 (cānjiā yuèduì):** To join a band * **看乐队演出 (kàn yuèduì yǎnchū):** To watch a band's performance The term is used widely, from casual chats about music preferences to formal concert programs. ===== Example Sentences ===== * **Example 1:** * 我最喜欢的**乐队**是五月天。 * Pinyin: Wǒ zuì xǐhuān de **yuèduì** shì Wǔyuètiān. * English: My favorite band is Mayday. * Analysis: A simple and very common sentence structure for stating your favorite band. "五月天" (Mayday) is a hugely popular rock band from Taiwan. * **Example 2:** * 他们上大学的时候，一起组建了一个**乐队**。 * Pinyin: Tāmen shàng dàxué de shíhòu, yīqǐ zǔjiàn le yī gè **yuèduì**. * English: They formed a band together when they were in university. * Analysis: This sentence uses the verb 组建 (zǔjiàn), "to form" or "to establish," which is a common and slightly formal way to talk about creating a group like a band. * **Example 3:** * 这支**乐队**的风格非常独特。 * Pinyin: Zhè zhī **yuèduì** de fēnggé fēicháng dútè. * English: This band's style is very unique. * Analysis: The measure word for 乐队 is 支 (zhī). It's the standard counter for teams, squads, and musical groups. * **Example 4:** * 昨晚的音乐会上，那个独立**乐队**的表演太棒了！ * Pinyin: Zuówǎn de yīnyuèhuì shàng, nàge dúlì **yuèduì** de biǎoyǎn tài bàng le! * English: At the concert last night, that indie band's performance was awesome! * Analysis: This example shows how to add a descriptor, 独立 (dúlì - independent), to specify the type of band. * **Example 5:** * 他的梦想是成为一个著名摇滚**乐队**的吉他手。 * Pinyin: Tā de mèngxiǎng shì chéngwéi yī gè zhùmíng yáogǔn **yuèduì** de jítāshǒu. * English: His dream is to become the guitarist for a famous rock band. * Analysis: Here, 摇滚 (yáogǔn - rock and roll) is used to describe the genre of the band. * **Example 6:** * 你听过新裤子这个**乐队**吗？他们最近很火。 * Pinyin: Nǐ tīngguò Xīnkùzi zhège **yuèduì** ma? Tāmen zuìjìn hěn huǒ. * English: Have you heard of the band New Pants? They're very popular recently. * Analysis: This is a great conversational example. 很火 (hěn huǒ) is a popular slang term meaning "very popular" or "trending." * **Example 7:** * 姐姐在学校的管弦**乐队**里拉小提琴。 * Pinyin: Jiějiě zài xuéxiào de guǎnxián **yuèduì** lǐ lā xiǎotíqín. * English: My older sister plays the violin in the school orchestra. * Analysis: This shows the usage of 乐队 for a non-rock context, specifically an orchestra (管弦乐队). * **Example 8:** * 这个**乐队**刚发行了他们的第一张专辑。 * Pinyin: Zhège **yuèduì** gāng fāxíng le tāmen de dì yī zhāng zhuānjí. * English: This band just released their first album. * Analysis: This sentence connects 乐队 with other essential music vocabulary like 发行 (fāxíng - to release/issue) and 专辑 (zhuānjí - album). * **Example 9:** * 虽然这支**乐队**的成员都很年轻，但他们的技术非常成熟。 * Pinyin: Suīrán zhè zhī **yuèduì** de chéngyuán dōu hěn niánqīng, dàn tāmen de jìshù fēicháng chéngshú. * English: Although this band's members are all very young, their technical skill is very mature. * Analysis: This sentence uses 成员 (chéngyuán - members) to refer to the individuals in the band. * **Example 10:** * 我想买两张周六晚上那个**乐队**演出的门票。 * Pinyin: Wǒ xiǎng mǎi liǎng zhāng zhōuliù wǎnshàng nàge **yuèduì** yǎnchū de ménpiào. * English: I want to buy two tickets for that band's performance on Saturday night. * Analysis: A practical sentence for anyone wanting to experience China's live music scene. It combines 乐队 with 演出 (yǎnchū - performance) and 门票 (ménpiào - tickets). ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== * **乐队 (yuèduì) vs. 乐团 (yuètuán):** This is the most important nuance. * **乐队 (yuèduì):** The general, all-purpose word. It can be used for a small rock band or a large orchestra. It's the more common and versatile of the two. * **乐团 (yuètuán):** This term implies a larger, more formal, and often professional ensemble. It's almost always used for orchestras (e.g., 中国爱乐乐团 - China Philharmonic Orchestra) or large traditional Chinese music ensembles. You would **not** call a 4-person rock band a 乐团. Think of `团 (tuán)` as a "troupe" or "organization," which sounds bigger and more official than a `队 (duì)` or "team." * **Common Mistake: Direct Translation** * A learner might try to say "music group" by literally translating it to "音乐组 (yīnyuè zǔ)" or "音乐团体 (yīnyuè tuántǐ)". While people might understand you, these are unnatural and not idiomatic. The correct and natural word is simply **乐队 (yuèduì)**. ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== * `[[乐团]] (yuètuán)` - A more formal term for a large musical ensemble, like a philharmonic orchestra or a professional traditional Chinese music troupe. * `[[摇滚]] (yáogǔn)` - Rock and roll music. Often used as a prefix: 摇滚乐队 (rock band). * `[[音乐会]] (yīnyuèhuì)` - Concert; a formal musical performance. * `[[演唱会]] (yǎnchànghuì)` - Concert, specifically one focused on a singer or pop/rock band (literally "perform-sing meeting"). * `[[主唱]] (zhǔchàng)` - Lead singer, main vocalist. * `[[吉他手]] (jítāshǒu)` - Guitarist. * `[[贝斯手]] (bèisīshǒu)` - Bassist. * `[[鼓手]] (gǔshǒu)` - Drummer. * `[[粉丝]] (fěnsī)` - Fans (a phonetic loanword from the English word "fans"). * `[[专辑]] (zhuānjí)` - Music album.