noun
A musical scale with five notes per octave, common in traditional Japanese and other world music.
日本の民謡には五音音階がよく使われている。
Pentatonic scales are often used in Japanese folk songs.
Compound of 五 (go, 'five'), 音 (on, 'note'), and 音階 (onkai, 'musical scale'). The term directly describes a five-note scale.