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Words Kanji Guides About

吟唱 (ぎんしょう) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

吟ぎん唱しょう

ぎ

ん

しょ

う

Meanings

1

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb

recitation; chanting; recital

Refers to the act of reciting or chanting, often in a literary, poetic, or classical context. Can be used as a noun or with する as a transitive verb.

彼かれは漢かん詩しを吟ぎん唱しょうした。
He recited a Chinese poem.
お経きょうの吟

ぎん

唱しょう

が

静しず

か

に

響ひび

い

た

。

The chanting of sutras echoed quietly.

Written forms

吟ぎん唱しょうUsage38%
Standard kanji form for reciting or chanting, especially poetry or classical texts.
吟ぎん誦しょうUsage63%
Variant kanji form; 誦 also means recitation but is less common than 唱 in modern usage.

Kanji

吟versify, singing, recital
唱chant, recite, call upon
誦recite, chant

Similar words

朗ろう読どく
朗読 is reading aloud with expression, often prose or poetry, while 吟唱 emphasizes a more musical or rhythmic chanting style, especially for classical works.
暗あん唱しょう
暗唱 is recitation from memory, focusing on memorization, whereas 吟唱 is about the performance or chanting quality, not necessarily from memory.

Etymology

Compound of 吟 (gin, 'to chant, recite') and 唱 (shō, 'to chant, recite'). Both kanji carry similar meanings, reinforcing the idea of rhythmic recitation. The variant 誦 (shō) also means 'recite' and is used in the rare form 吟誦.