Music Vocabulary in Mandarin

with English Translations

General
音乐 – yīnyuè – music
演奏乐器 – yǎnzòu yuèqì – playing an instrument
音乐家 – yīnyuè jiā – musician
舞台 – wǔtái – stage
排练 – páiliàn – rehearsal
现场演出 – xiàn chǎng yǎn chū – live performance/music
乐队 – yuè duì – band
掌声 – zhǎngshēng – applause
表演 – biǎoyǎn – performance
歌 – gē – song
音阶 – yīnjiē – musical scale
专辑 – zhuānjí – album, record
歌词 – gēcí – lyrics
作曲家 – zuòqǔ jiā – songwriter/composer

Genres
摇滚 – yáogǔn – Rock & Roll
流行音乐 – liúxíngyīnyuè – Pop
古典乐 – gǔdiǎnyuè – Classical
传统音乐 – chuántǒng yīnyuè – Traditional
电音 – diàn yīn – Electronic
爵士乐 – juéshìyuè – Jazz
节奏布鲁斯 – jiézòu bùlǔsī – R&B

Instruments
鼓 – gǔ – drums
贝斯 – bèisī – bass
笛子 – dízi – flute
吉他 – jítā – guitar
钢琴 – gāngqín – piano
萨克司风/萨克斯管 – sàkè sī fēng/sàkè sī guǎn – saxophone
唱歌 – chànggē – singing
歌手 – gēshǒu – singer

Expressions
连五线谱你都看不懂。 – Lián wǔxiànpǔ nǐ dōu kàn bù dǒng – You don’t even know how to read sheet
music.
跑调 – pǎo diào – out of tune (I love this one)
我真的喜欢这首歌 – Wǒ zhēnde xǐhuān zhèshǒu gē. – I really like this song.
声音太大了 – Shēngyīn tài dà le – It’s too loud

General concepts:

樂理: yue4 li3: ngok6 lei5: (modern term) musical theory

律呂: lv4 lv2: leot6 lui2: (classical term) musical theory (specifically, of temperamental
measurement and tones)

調: diao4: diu6: Tuning, (performed key) gamut.

均 (韻): yun2: wan5: “Resonance”, mode, gamut.

The tones:

宮: gong1: gung1: “Do”, tonic of the mode.

商: shang1: seong1: “Re”, supertonic of the mode.

角: jue3: gok3: “Mi”, mediant of the mode.

中: zhong1: zung1: “Fa”, subdominant of the mode. (Used in Zhu Zaiyu’s Yuelv Quanshu, 1596)
徵: zhi3: zi2: “So”, dominant of the mode.

羽: yu3: jyu5: “La”, submediant of the mode.

和: he3: wo4: “Si”, leading note of the mode. (Used in Zhu Zaiyu’s Yuelv Quanshu, 1596)

On tones:

律: lv4: leot6: “Rule, measure”. 1. Refers to the 6 “Yang” tones of the 12-tone gamut; 2. A half-step.

呂: lv2: lui2: 1. Refers to the 6 “Yin” tones of the 12-tone gamut.

少: shao1: siu3: 1 octave higher.

倍: bei4: pui2: 1 octave lower.

清: qing1: ching1: 1. A half-step (lv) higher, sharp; 2. The prefix put in front of a tone name to
indicate that it is a new tone. Used specifically for historical gamuts with more than 12 tones.

變: bian4: bin2: A half-step (lv) lower, flat.

On rhythm:

拍: pai1: paak3: “Clap, beat”. A standard unit of musical time in a given measure (ban).

板: ban3: baan3: “Board”. 1. A measure or “bar”; 2. The prime or leading beat of a measure.

眼: yan3: ngaan5: “Eye”. A minor beat or beats following the ban.

- 音乐类型 yīn yuè lèi xíng (The Genre of Music)

古典乐 gǔ diǎn yuè: Classical Music

流行乐 liú háng yuè: Pop Music

蓝调乐 lán diào yuè: Blues

摇滚乐 yáo gǔn yuè: Rock & Roll

说唱乐 shuō chàng yuè: Rap

爵士乐 jué shì yuè: Jazz

器乐 qì yuè: Instrumental music

民间音乐 mín jiān yīn yuè: Folk music

民族音乐 mín zú yīn yuè: Ethnic music

朋克乐 péng kè yuè: Funk

重金属乐 zhòng jīn shǔ yuè: Heavy metal

节奏与蓝调乐 jié zòu yǔ lán diào yuè: Rhythm and Blues (R & B)

灵魂音乐 líng hún yīn yuè: Soul Gospel Music

迪斯科 dí sī kē: Disco

乡村音乐 xiāng cūn yīn yuè: Country Music

雷鬼音乐 léi guǐ yīn yuè: Reggae

新世纪音乐 xīn shì jì yīn yuè: New Age Music

- 节奏 jié zòu (Tempo )

快节奏 kuài jié zòu: Fast Tempo

中速节奏 zhōng sù jié zòu: Medium Speed Tempo

慢节奏 màn jié zòu: Slow Tempo

旋律 xuán lǜ (Melody)

优美 yōu měi: beautiful / graceful / fine / elegant

轻快 qīng kuài: light and quick / brisk / spry / lively

柔和 róu hé: gentle / soft

动听 dòng tīng: pleasant to listen to / amazing

抒情 shū qíng: to express emotion / lyric

激昂 jī áng: impassioned / worked up

震撼 zhèn hàn: to shake / to vibrate / to shock / to stun / shocking /

stunning / fig. mind-blowing

伤感 shāng gǎn: sad / emotional

幸福 xìng fú: happy / blessed / sweet

惊悚 jīng sǒng: thrilling/ horror

滑稽 huá jī: comical / funny / amusing

有意思的 yǒu yì sī de: interesting / meaningful / enjoyable / fun

有趣的 yǒu qù de: interesting / fascinating / amusing

- Other Vocabulary For Describing Music in Chinese

和音 hé yīn: harmony (pleasing combination of sounds)

和声 hé shēng: harmony (music)

歌词 gē cí: lyrics

容易上口的 róng yì shàng kǒu de: catchy

洗脑神曲 xǐ nǎo shén qǔ: earworm

热点单曲 rè diǎn dān qǔ: hit

演唱会 yǎn chàng huì: a gig / vocal recital / concert

音乐会 yīn yuè huì: concert

原唱 yuán chàng: originals

翻唱 fān chàng: covers