gēqǔ: 歌曲 - Song, Tune

• Keywords: 歌曲, gēqǔ, Chinese word for song, what does gequ mean, song in Mandarin Chinese, Chinese music, Mandopop, C-pop, KTV songs, 歌 vs 歌曲, 音乐 vs 歌曲
• Summary: Discover the meaning of 歌曲 (gēqǔ), the fundamental Chinese word for 'song'. This complete guide for beginners explains its character origins, its central role in Chinese culture from KTV to C-pop, and provides practical example sentences. Learn the crucial difference between 歌曲 (gēqǔ), 歌 (gē), and 音乐 (yīnyuè) to talk about Chinese music like a native speaker.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): gēqǔ
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: A musical composition with lyrics; a song.
• In a Nutshell: 歌曲 (gēqǔ) is the standard and slightly formal word for a “song”—a complete piece that combines both lyrics and a melody. It's the word you would see on a music app like QQ Music or NetEase Cloud Music to label a track, or when discussing a specific song as a work of art.

• 歌 (gē): This character means “to sing” or “song.” It's composed of two parts. The left side, 哥 (gē), meaning “older brother,” provides the sound. The right side, 欠 (qiàn), depicts a person with an open mouth, representing the act of singing.
• 曲 (qǔ): This character means “melody,” “tune,” or “curve.” The character itself is a pictogram of a bent or crooked object. In a musical context, it refers to the “curves” and flow of a melody.

When combined, 歌曲 (gēqǔ) literally means “singing-melody,” which perfectly describes a complete song with both vocals and a tune.

In Chinese culture, music and singing are deeply integrated into social life, and 歌曲 (gēqǔ) is the vehicle for this expression. Unlike in the West where concerts are the primary live music experience, in China, KTV (Karaoke) is a cornerstone of social bonding. Friends, family, and colleagues regularly go to KTV to sing their favorite 歌曲 together, using it to build relationships and release stress. The term 歌曲 is also central to the massive C-pop (or Mandopop) industry. Fans discuss their favorite singers' new 歌曲, and chart-topping hits become part of the national conversation. While the English word “song” is a very close equivalent, 歌曲 (gēqǔ) feels slightly more formal and complete than its more casual counterpart, 歌 (gē). Think of 歌曲 as a “track” or “composition,” while 歌 is simply a “song.” Furthermore, 歌曲 specifically implies that there are lyrics, distinguishing it from purely instrumental pieces, which would fall under the broader category of 音乐 (yīnyuè), or “music.”

歌曲 (gēqǔ) is a common, neutral term used in a wide variety of contexts.

• In Daily Conversation: People use it to talk about music they like. “我最近喜欢听一首老歌曲。” (I've been enjoying an old song recently.)
• On Music Platforms: All Chinese music apps (e.g., QQ音乐, 网易云音乐) use 歌曲 to label individual tracks. You'll see menus like “推荐歌曲” (Recommended Songs) or “歌曲排行” (Song Charts).
• At KTV: While people might casually say “我们唱个歌吧” (Let's sing a song), they would select a specific 歌曲 from the machine's menu.
• Formal Contexts: In music reviews, news articles, or academic discussions, 歌曲 is the preferred term to refer to a song as a complete artistic work.

The term is almost always neutral in connotation, but it can be modified with adjectives to express feelings, such as “悲伤的歌曲” (a sad song) or “欢快的歌曲” (a cheerful song).

• Example 1:
  • 这首歌曲的旋律很好听。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shǒu gēqǔ de xuánlǜ hěn hǎotīng.
  • English: The melody of this song is very beautiful.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the use of the correct measure word for songs, 首 (shǒu). It's a common way to describe a song's musical quality.
• Example 2:
  • 你最喜欢的歌曲是哪一首？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ zuì xǐhuān de gēqǔ shì nǎ yī shǒu?
  • English: What is your favorite song?
  • Analysis: A classic question for getting to know someone's musical taste. Notice again the use of 首 (shǒu) in the question.
• Example 3:
  • 这位歌手发布了一首新歌曲。
  • Pinyin: Zhè wèi gēshǒu fābù le yī shǒu xīn gēqǔ.
  • English: This singer released a new song.
  • Analysis: This shows how 歌曲 is used in the context of the music industry. 发布 (fābù) means “to release” or “to publish.”
• Example 4:
  • 我把这首歌曲添加到了我的播放列表。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bǎ zhè shǒu gēqǔ tiānjiā dào le wǒ de bōfàng lièbiǎo.
  • English: I added this song to my playlist.
  • Analysis: A very practical sentence for modern life, using the 把 (bǎ) structure to show the disposal of an object (the song).
• Example 5:
  • 这是一首经典的中文流行歌曲。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì yī shǒu jīngdiǎn de Zhōngwén liúxíng gēqǔ.
  • English: This is a classic Chinese pop song.
  • Analysis: This example shows how 歌曲 can be modified by genre, in this case, 流行 (liúxíng) for “pop.”
• Example 6:
  • 卡拉OK里有很多老歌曲可以选择。
  • Pinyin: Kǎlā'ōukēi lǐ yǒu hěnduō lǎo gēqǔ kěyǐ xuǎnzé.
  • English: There are many old songs to choose from at Karaoke.
  • Analysis: This sentence directly links 歌曲 to the popular social activity of KTV/Karaoke.
• Example 7:
  • 每当我听到这首歌曲，我就会想起我的童年。
  • Pinyin: Měi dāng wǒ tīngdào zhè shǒu gēqǔ, wǒ jiù huì xiǎngqǐ wǒ de tóngnián.
  • English: Every time I hear this song, I think of my childhood.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates how a 歌曲 can be tied to memory and emotion.
• Example 8:
  • 这首歌曲的歌词写得非常有诗意。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shǒu gēqǔ de gēcí xiě de fēicháng yǒu shīyì.
  • English: The lyrics of this song are written very poetically.
  • Analysis: This sentence distinguishes between the song as a whole (歌曲) and its specific components, like the 歌词 (gēcí), or lyrics.
• Example 9:
  • 这部电影的主题歌曲非常有名。
  • Pinyin: Zhè bù diànyǐng de zhǔtí gēqǔ fēicháng yǒumíng.
  • English: The theme song of this movie is very famous.
  • Analysis: Shows the term used for a specific type of song, a 主题歌曲 (zhǔtí gēqǔ) or “theme song.”
• Example 10:
  • 他为他的女朋友写了一首歌曲。
  • Pinyin: Tā wèi tā de nǚpéngyǒu xiě le yī shǒu gēqǔ.
  • English: He wrote a song for his girlfriend.
  • Analysis: A simple, common scenario showing the creation of a 歌曲.

The biggest challenge for learners is distinguishing 歌曲 (gēqǔ) from similar-sounding words.

• 歌曲 (gēqǔ) vs. 歌 (gē):
  • 歌曲 (gēqǔ) is a complete musical work (lyrics + melody). It's slightly more formal and is the technically correct term for a “track” on an album.
  • 歌 (gē) is more casual and versatile. It can mean “song” in a simple sense, or it can refer to the act of singing itself. For example, “to sing a song” is 唱歌 (chàng gē), not 唱歌曲 (chàng gēqǔ).
  • Mistake: Saying “我想唱一个歌曲” (I want to sing a song).
  • Correction: “我想唱一首歌” (I want to sing a song) is much more natural.
• 歌曲 (gēqǔ) vs. 音乐 (yīnyuè):
  • 歌曲 (gēqǔ) specifically means a *song*, which implies vocals/lyrics.
  • 音乐 (yīnyuè) means *music* in general. It's a broad category that includes songs, classical symphonies, instrumental jazz, film scores, etc.
  • Mistake: Pointing to a pop song and saying “我喜欢这个音乐” (I like this music). While not grammatically wrong, it's imprecise. It's like saying “I like this piece of music” when you really just mean “I like this song.”
  • Correction: For a specific song with lyrics, it's better to say “我喜欢这首歌曲” (I like this song).
• Forgetting the Measure Word:
  • The correct measure word for 歌曲 is 首 (shǒu).
  • Mistake: 我听了一个歌曲。 (Wǒ tīng le yí ge gēqǔ.)
  • Correction: 我听了一首歌曲。 (Wǒ tīng le yī shǒu gēqǔ.)

• 歌 (gē) - A more casual word for “song”; also refers to the act of singing.
• 音乐 (yīnyuè) - Music in general, including both vocal and instrumental pieces. 歌曲 is a type of 音乐.
• 歌词 (gēcí) - Lyrics; the words of a 歌曲.
• 歌手 (gēshǒu) - Singer; the person who performs a 歌曲.
• 旋律 (xuánlǜ) - Melody, tune; the musical part of a 歌曲.
• 专辑 (zhuānjí) - Album; a collection of 歌曲.
• 流行歌曲 (liúxíng gēqǔ) - Pop song; a very common genre.
• 一首歌 (yì shǒu gē) - “A song.” The most common way to refer to a single song in conversation, using the correct measure word.
• 卡拉OK (kǎlā'ōukēi) - Karaoke (or KTV); a popular social activity centered around singing 歌曲.