zòu

to play music

to achieve; to present a memorial to the emperor (old)

a picture of 奏 → lifting an offering toward heaven

The ancient form shows hands raising something up, with 天 lending the sense of directing it skyward. Playing music for a ruler and presenting a memorial share the same gesture: offering something upward to a higher power.

HeavenSemantic

他们在台上合了一首歌。

tā men zài tái shàng hé zòu le yī shǒu gē。

They played a song together on stage.

乐队齐时,声音非常好听。

yuè duì qí zòu shí, shēng yīn fēi cháng hǎo tīng。

When the band played all together, the sound was very pleasing.

Words with 奏

重奏

chóng zòu

musical ensemble of several instruments (e.g. duet 二重奏 or trio 三重奏)

钢琴演奏

gāng qín yǎn zòu

piano performance

间奏

jiān zòu

interlude (music)

陈奏

chén zòu

to present a memorial (to the Emperor)

三重奏

sān chóng zòu

trio (musical ensemble)

二重奏

èr chóng zòu

duet (in music)

伴奏

bàn zòu

to accompany (musically)

先斩后奏

xiān zhǎn hòu zòu

lit. first execute the criminal, then report it to the emperor (idiom)

八重奏

bā chóng zòu

octet (musical ensemble)

前奏

qián zòu

prelude

前奏曲

qián zòu qǔ

prelude (music)

协奏

xié zòu

to perform (a concerto)

More characters with 天