yī shǒu gē: 一首歌 - A Song, One Song

• Keywords: yi shou ge, 一首歌, a song in Chinese, how to say one song, measure word for song, classifier for song, Chinese measure words, 首 shou, ge vs shou, Chinese grammar, learn Chinese song
• Summary: Learn how to say “a song” or “one song” in Mandarin Chinese with the phrase 一首歌 (yī shǒu gē). This guide breaks down the essential Chinese measure word 首 (shǒu), explaining why it's used for songs and poems instead of the common classifier 个 (gè). Discover the cultural importance of measure words, see practical examples for daily conversation and KTV, and avoid common mistakes to sound more like a native speaker.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): yī shǒu gē
• Part of Speech: Noun Phrase (Number + Measure Word + Noun)
• HSK Level: Components are HSK 1 (一, 歌) and HSK 3 (首). The phrase is foundational for beginners, typically learned around the HSK 2-3 level.
• Concise Definition: A song; one song.
• In a Nutshell: 一首歌 (yī shǒu gē) is the standard and correct way to say “a song” in Mandarin. It is built from three parts: 一 (yī) meaning “one,” 首 (shǒu) the specific measure word for songs and poems, and 歌 (gē) meaning “song.” For English speakers, the key is to remember that you almost always need a measure word between a number and a noun in Chinese, and 首 (shǒu) is the right one for 歌 (gē).

• 一 (yī): One of the simplest characters, representing the number “one” with a single horizontal stroke.
• 首 (shǒu): The original meaning of this character is “head.” Over time, it was adapted as a measure word for things that are considered complete, self-contained artistic units, most notably poems and songs. You can think of a song as having a “head” (a beginning) and being a whole entity.
• 歌 (gē): This character means “song” or “to sing.” It's composed of 哥 (gē, “older brother”) on the left providing the sound, and 欠 (qiàn, “to lack” or “yawn”) on the right, which originally depicted a person with an open mouth. A person with an open mouth is singing, hence “song.”

Together, 一 + 首 + 歌 literally translates to “one 'head' of song,” which we understand simply as “a song.”

The true significance of 一首歌 (yī shǒu gē) lies not in the meaning of “song” but in its grammatical structure, which reveals a core feature of the Chinese language: measure words (量词, liàngcí). In English, we use classifiers for specific uncountable nouns (e.g., a loaf of bread, a sheet of paper) but not for most countable nouns (“a song,” not “a piece of song”). In Chinese, this system is mandatory for nearly every noun. You cannot simply say “one song” by putting the words for “one” and “song” together. Using the correct measure word, like 首 (shǒu) for a song, demonstrates linguistic and cultural fluency. It shows you understand that objects in the Chinese worldview are categorized and grouped by their nature. Using the generic but often incorrect 个 (gè) (e.g., 一个歌) is a common mistake for beginners and can sound unrefined. Mastering measure words like 首 is a key step in moving from basic, functional Chinese to a more natural and sophisticated level of expression.

一首歌 is a high-frequency phrase used in all kinds of daily situations. It is neutral in formality and can be used with anyone.

• In Daily Conversation: People use it to talk about music they're listening to, recommend a song, or mention a tune stuck in their head.
  • “I heard a great song today.” (我今天听到了一首很好听的歌。)
• At KTV (Karaoke): This is a primary context for the phrase. You use it to select or dedicate a song.
  • “I want to sing a song.” (我想唱一首歌。)
  • “This next song is for all of you.” (下面这首歌送给大家。)
• On Social Media and Music Apps: Users will share 一首歌 they like, and apps will recommend “a song for you” (推荐给你一首歌).

The structure is also a template. You can change the number:

• 两首歌 (liǎng shǒu gē): Two songs. (Note the use of 两 instead of 二 before a measure word).
• 这首歌 (zhè shǒu gē): This song.
• 那首歌 (nà shǒu gē): That song.
• 每一首歌 (měi yī shǒu gē): Every song.

• Example 1:
  • 我想为你唱一首歌。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xiǎng wèi nǐ chàng yī shǒu gē.
  • English: I want to sing a song for you.
  • Analysis: A classic, romantic, or friendly expression. This is a common phrase at KTV or a birthday party.
• Example 2:
  • 这一首歌的名字是什么？
  • Pinyin: Zhè yī shǒu gē de míngzì shì shénme?
  • English: What is the name of this song?
  • Analysis: Here, `这 (zhè)` replaces the number `一 (yī)` to mean “this.” This “demonstrative pronoun + measure word + noun” structure is extremely common.
• Example 3:
  • 他只用了十分钟就写好了一首歌。
  • Pinyin: Tā zhǐ yòngle shí fēnzhōng jiù xiě hǎole yī shǒu gē.
  • English: He finished writing a song in just ten minutes.
  • Analysis: Shows the phrase being used as the object of the verb “to write” (写, xiě).
• Example 4:
  • 收音机里正在放一首歌，我觉得很熟悉。
  • Pinyin: Shōuyīnjī lǐ zhèngzài fàng yī shǒu gē, wǒ juéde hěn shúxī.
  • English: The radio is playing a song that I think is very familiar.
  • Analysis: This example shows the phrase within a more complex sentence, describing an ongoing action.
• Example 5:
  • 你能推荐一首歌给我吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ néng tuījiàn yī shǒu gē gěi wǒ ma?
  • English: Can you recommend a song to me?
  • Analysis: A very practical question when asking friends for music recommendations.
• Example 6:
  • 有时候，一首歌就能改变你一天的心情。
  • Pinyin: Yǒu shíhòu, yī shǒu gē jiù néng gǎibiàn nǐ yī tiān de xīnqíng.
  • English: Sometimes, just one song can change your mood for the whole day.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses the phrase to make a general, almost philosophical statement.
• Example 7:
  • 这是我们乐队的第一首歌。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì wǒmen yuèduì de dì-yī shǒu gē.
  • English: This is our band's first song.
  • Analysis: Note the use of `第 (dì)` to indicate ordinal numbers (“first,” “second,” etc.). `第一首歌` means “the first song.”
• Example 8:
  • 哪一首歌是你的最爱？
  • Pinyin: Nǎ yī shǒu gē shì nǐ de zuì'ài?
  • English: Which song is your favorite?
  • Analysis: Using the question word `哪 (nǎ)` for “which” follows the same “pronoun + measure word + noun” pattern.
• Example 9:
  • 这张专辑里的每一首歌都很好听。
  • Pinyin: Zhè zhāng zhuānjí lǐ de měi yī shǒu gē dōu hěn hǎotīng.
  • English: Every song on this album is great.
  • Analysis: `每 (měi)` means “every” or “each,” another word that requires a measure word before the noun.
• Example 10:
  • 这是今天晚上的最后一首歌。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì jīntiān wǎnshàng de zuìhòu yī shǒu gē.
  • English: This is the last song of the evening.
  • Analysis: A common phrase used by performers or DJs to close a show. `最后 (zuìhòu)` means “final” or “last.”

• The `个 (gè)` vs. `首 (shǒu)` Mistake: The most frequent error for learners is to use the all-purpose measure word `个 (gè)` for a song.
  • Incorrect: 我喜欢这一个歌。 (Wǒ xǐhuān zhè yī ge gē.)
  • Correct: 我喜欢这一首歌。 (Wǒ xǐhuān zhè yī shǒu gē.)
  • Explanation: While native speakers might occasionally say `一个歌` in extremely fast, colloquial speech, it is grammatically non-standard and sounds uneducated. As a learner, you should always strive to use the correct measure word, 首 (shǒu), for songs and poems. It shows you've taken the time to learn the proper structure.
• Forgetting the Measure Word Entirely: Applying English grammar directly is another pitfall.
  • Incorrect: 我听一歌。 (Wǒ tīng yī gē.)
  • Correct: 我听一首歌。 (Wǒ tīng yī shǒu gē.)
  • Explanation: In Chinese, a number cannot directly modify a noun without a measure word in between. The structure `Number + Noun` is almost always wrong.

• 一首诗 (yī shǒu shī): A poem. This is crucial because it uses the exact same measure word, 首 (shǒu), reinforcing its use for artistic, lyrical works.
• 歌曲 (gēqǔ): Song; music. A more formal or written term for song, often used in titles or contexts like “pop songs” (流行歌曲).
• 音乐 (yīnyuè): Music. The broad category that a `歌 (gē)` belongs to.
• 唱歌 (chànggē): To sing (a song). A very common verb-object phrase.
• 歌手 (gēshǒu): Singer. Literally “song hand.”
• 歌词 (gēcí): Lyrics. The words of a song.
• 量词 (liàngcí): Measure word / Classifier. The grammatical category that 首 (shǒu) belongs to.
• 个 (gè): The most common, general-purpose measure word. It's the default when you don't know the specific one, but it's better to learn the correct ones like 首.
• 专辑 (zhuānjí): Album. A collection of songs. The measure word for an album is `张 (zhāng)`.
• 单曲 (dānqū): A single (song). A song released by itself rather than as part of a full album.