How to say "tune" in Japanese

• 調子ちょうしJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounCovers 'tune' only in the sense of pitch or key — whether a voice or instrument is in or out of tune. It never means a melody or a piece of music.
• 楽曲がっきょくCommon
  nounFor 'tune' meaning a piece of music as a whole — a musical composition. It points to the work itself, not to the melodic line you might hum from it.
• メロディーJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounA loanword for 'tune' as a melody — the line of notes you hum or whistle. Use it when you mean the tune itself rather than the piece as a whole.
  このメロディーは多おおくの日本人にほんじんに知しられている。↗

  This melody is familiar to many Japanese.
• 旋律せんりつCommon
  no-adjectiveAlso 'melody; tune': the kanji term for the melodic line of a piece. It says what メロディー says, so the choice between them is largely one of wording rather than meaning.
  聞きこえる旋律せんりつは美うつくしいが、聞きこえない旋律せんりつはさらに美うつくしい。↗

  Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter.
• 一曲いっきょくCommon
  nounMeans one tune — a single piece of music — rather than 'tune' in general. Use it when counting or singling out one number, as in asking a musician for one more tune.
  彼女かのじょはピアノで一いち曲きょく弾ひいた。↗

  She played a tune on the piano.

Use 「メロディー」 or 旋律 for a tune as a melody, 楽曲 for a tune as a composition, 一曲 for one single piece, and 調子 only for pitch — whether music is in or out of tune.

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

• 調子ちょうしtune
• 楽曲がっきょくmusical composition
• メロディーmelody
• 旋律せんりつmelody
• 一曲いっきょくtune (melody, piece of music)
• 歌曲かきょくmelody
• チューンtune
• 音調おんちょうtune
• 曲節きょくせつtune
• 音締ねじめtune
• 曲調きょくちょうmelody
• 曲きょくtune
• 節ふしtune
• 調べしらべtune
• ぶりtune
• 色いろtone (of one's voice, etc.)