How to say "singer" in Japanese

• 歌手かしゅJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounThe general word for a singer as a profession. Use it when you simply mean someone who sings for a living, with no special nuance attached.
  その歌手かしゅは若者わかものたちのアイドルだ。↗

  That singer is a teenage idol.
• シンガーCommon
  nounA loanword meaning the same as 歌手. It fits naturally in music-industry settings such as credits and promotional writing, and otherwise works much like 歌手.
  あの女の子おんなのこは信頼しんらいできるカントリーシンガーだ。↗

  That girl is a true blue country singer.
• 歌い手うたいてCommon
  nounEmphasizes the act of singing itself. Often used for band vocalists and for singers who became known by posting cover performances online.
  私はカラオケ好すきだが、たいした歌い手うたいてではない。↗

  I love karaoke, but I'm not much of a singer.
• ボーカルCommon
  nounReally denotes the vocalist — the singing member or role in a band. Use it for that position; as a general word for a singer it is narrower than 歌手.

Use 歌手 for a singer as a profession, 「シンガー」 as the loanword equivalent common in music-industry contexts, 「歌い手」 to foreground the act of singing, and 「ボーカル」 for the vocalist role in a band.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 歌手かしゅsinger
• シンガーsinger
• 歌い手うたいてsinger
• 歌うたいうたうたいsinger
• ボーカルvocalist