Karaoke

Karaoke (Japanese: ????, from ? kara, "empty", and ?????? ?kesutora, "orchestra") is a form of entertainment where recorded music accompanies an amateur singer who sings along with the accompaniment on microphone. The music is of a well-known song in which the voice of the original singer is absent or reduced in volume. Lyrics are usually also displayed, sometimes including color changes synchronized with the music, on music video to help with the sing-along.

Terms of karaoke

Gian

A character from Doraemon, known for his highly questionable singing ability. Thus someone who loves karaoke but can only sing completely out of tune, is referred as a Gian (pronounced like giant, but without the t sound on the end).

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Ohako (18th)

Some karaoke singers have one song which they are especially good at, and which they use to show off their singing abilities. It is called Ohako (十八番), meaning "18th", which refers to the 18 most popular kabuki plays. It is also used to mean being good at any entertainment such as dancing or playing an instrument. "Number 18" is slang in Korean and mildly obscene because going to karaoke was one of the few occasions where a male and a female could get together in Korea. The term took hold in Korea during the Japanese colonial period when varieties of entertainment were introduced.

Related Topics:
Kabuki - Slang - Japanese colonial period

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In Hong Kong, such a song is called a "banquet song" (飲歌).

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Karaoke box

As discussed above in the section "Public Places for Karaoke", a "karaoke box" is a type of venue where small, private rooms can be rented to sing. This term, which (like karaoke itself) originated in East Asia, is an example of Engrish that has become so prevalent that it appeared in the latest edition of the Oxford English Dictionary.

Related Topics:
Engrish - Oxford English Dictionary

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Sing K

There is a new term originating from Hong Kong which refers to "going to a karaoke box"; karaoke is abbreviated as "K". This buzzword is now particularly prevalent in Chinese-speaking countries or regions like Hong Kong, Macau, Mainland China, Taiwan, and Singapore. In fact, there are other similar new terms, of which karaoke is identically shorted as a single "K", e.g.:

Related Topics:
Hong Kong - Macau - Mainland China - Taiwan - Singapore

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• The K King / The King of K: a man who is sophisticated in karaoke singing.
• The K Queen / The Queen of K: a woman who is sophisticated in karaoke singing.
• a K song: (1)similar to "Ohako" (see above); (2) a song which is designated for karaoke, particularly due to its easy-to-remember melody and smooth lyrics.
• K lunch / K buffet: meals (buffet) served in karaoke boxes; people can sing songs while enjoying their food.
• K hours: going to a karaoke box in happy hours, usually with special discounts.
• K fun: karaoke discount coupons, or the act of going for karaoke