How to say "chord" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 和音わおんnounCovers the musical sense of chord: several notes sounded together as a harmonic unit. It is the term used in music theory and writing on harmony, treating chords as structures of pitches.
- nounAlso the musical chord, but as the loanword from English. It is heard especially in practical music-making, such as guitar, pop and jazz, and is the less common of the two for this sense.
Both render the musical chord — notes sounded together. 和音 is the term of music theory and writing on harmony; 「コード」, the loanword, is typical in practical playing contexts such as pop and jazz.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
