1.
school song; children's song for music education
Songs composed or selected for use in school music education, particularly those from the Meiji through early Showa periods that became part of Japan's cultural heritage.
懐かしい唱歌を歌った。
I sang a nostalgic school song.
「故郷」は日本を代表する唱歌だ。
'Furusato' is a representative Japanese school song.
祖母は子供の頃に習った唱歌を今でも覚えている。
My grandmother still remembers the school songs she learned as a child.
2.
singing; vocal music (as a school subject)
The school subject of singing, historically used in Japanese education before being replaced by the broader term 音楽 (music).
明治時代の学校では唱歌の授業があった。
Schools in the Meiji era had singing classes.
唱歌の時間が一番好きだった。
Singing class was my favorite.
「唱歌」という科目名は戦後「音楽」に変わった。
The subject name 'shōka' was changed to 'ongaku' (music) after the war.
A compound of 唱 (to chant, to sing) and 歌 (song). Historically, 唱歌 referred to both the songs used in school music education and the subject itself. Many 唱歌 from the Meiji and Taisho periods, such as 「故郷」 and 「春の小川」, are deeply beloved and widely known across generations.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 唱歌を歌う: to sing a school song
- 文部省唱歌: Ministry of Education-approved songs — the official designation for songs in prewar textbooks
- 懐かしの唱歌: nostalgic school songs
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 童謡: children's song, nursery rhyme — broader category of songs for children, not limited to school use
- 歌曲: art song, vocal piece — a musical term for songs composed as art music
- 合唱: chorus, choral singing — singing together in a group