adjective / noun / verb HSK 2
Traditional 樂
/
happy · joyful · to enjoy · music
Meaning
乐 is a polyphonic character with two main pronunciations. As 'lè' it means happy, joyful, or to enjoy. As 'yuè' it means music. This character appears in many common words related to happiness and music, making it one of the most frequently encountered characters in everyday Chinese.
Usage
When pronounced 'lè', it appears in words like 快乐 (happy) and 乐观 (optimistic). When pronounced 'yuè', it appears in 音乐 (music) and 乐器 (musical instrument). Native speakers automatically know which pronunciation to use based on context and the compound word.
Examples
- 01祝你生日快乐！!Happy birthday to you!
- 02我很喜欢听音乐。.I really like listening to music.
Common collocations
- 快乐happy
- 音乐music
- 乐于willing to, happy to
- 乐趣pleasure, delight
Antonyms
Origin
The traditional form 樂 originally depicted a wooden musical instrument with strings, representing music. The association between music and joy led to its dual meaning of both music and happiness.