声

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 大きな声で歌いましょう。▶ —
   Let's sing in a loud voice.
2. 彼女の声がきれいです。▶ —
   She has a beautiful voice.

Collocations

Mnemonic

Koe (声) is the noun "voice" — vocal sound from humans or animals. Watch the contrast with oto (already covered): koe comes from a voice organ; oto covers inanimate, instrument, natural sounds. Tori no koe (bird sound) — animal vocalization uses koe. Piano no oto — instruments use oto. Koe wo dasu (utter, raise voice), koe wo ageru (raise voice = protest), kogoe (quiet voice), oogoe (loud voice). Cultural note: seiyuu (voice actor) is a uniquely developed profession in Japan — anime / game industry gives seiyuu higher social standing than in Korea, China, or English-speaking countries. Utagoe (singing voice), nikusei (live voice, unamplified). Metaphor: koe naki koe (voiceless voices = the silent majority's opinion), a political / social phrase.

Quick check

1. Natural Japanese for "the bird sings / chirps"?

   • "Tori no koe ga suru" — bird sound (koe)
   • "Tori no oto" — unnatural (oto = inanimate)
   • "Tori ga hanasu" — bird speaks, unnatural
   • "Tori ga naru" — ungrammatical