1.
one's go-to song; signature song; favorite song to sing
A song that a person always sings, especially at karaoke. Can also refer to a professional singer's signature number.
カラオケでの持ち歌は何ですか。
What's your go-to karaoke song?
彼の持ち歌はいつも盛り上がる。
His signature song always gets the crowd going.
持ち歌が一曲もないと、カラオケに誘われたとき困る。
If you don't have even one go-to song, you'll be at a loss when invited to karaoke.
USAGE:
Strongly associated with karaoke culture. Also called 十八番 or 十八番, which means one's specialty or forte, though 持ち歌 is specifically about songs.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 持ち歌を歌う (to sing one's go-to song)
- カラオケの持ち歌 (one's karaoke song)
- 持ち歌がない (to not have a go-to song)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 十八番: one's forte, specialty — broader than just songs