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nhạc
/ɲaːk̚˧˨ʔ/
music
Tôi thích nghe nhạc vào buổi tối.
I like listening to music in the evening.
general
Vocal or instrumental sounds combined in such a way as to produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion.
Anh ấy chơi nhạc rất hay.
He plays music very well.
Nhạc cổ truyền Việt Nam rất đa dạng.
Traditional Vietnamese music is very diverse.
Can refer to any genre or style of music, including traditional, modern, or international.
general
A particular genre or type of music.
Tôi thích nhạc rock hơn nhạc pop.
I prefer rock music over pop music.
Often used in compound forms like 'nhạc pop', 'nhạc rock', 'nhạc điện tử'.
Collocations
nghe nhạcto listen to musicchơi nhạcto play musicsáng tác nhạcto compose musicnhạc cụmusical instrumentnhạc nềnbackground music
Synonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Distinguish 'nhạc' and 'âm nhạc'
'Nhạc' is the general term for music, while 'âm nhạc' is a more formal or technical term often used in academic or professional contexts (e.g., 'ngành âm nhạc' = music industry).
Gold Rule
Use 'nhạc' for general music
When referring to music in everyday conversation, 'nhạc' is the default choice. Use compound forms (e.g., 'nhạc pop', 'nhạc rock') to specify genres.
Word Origin
From Middle Chinese 樂 (MC *ŋˠɑk̚), ultimately from Old Chinese *ŋrawɢ (joy, happiness). Cognate with Chinese 乐 (yuè), Japanese 楽 (gaku/raku), and Korean 악 (ak).
Usage Notes
The word 'nhạc' is used broadly in Vietnamese to refer to music in general, including traditional, folk, and modern genres. It is often combined with other words to specify types of music (e.g., 'nhạc cổ truyền' for traditional music, 'nhạc hiện đại' for modern music).
Từ Điển Việt Anh