演唱
yǎnchàng · HSK 3
sing in performance
🎤 演 = perform + 唱 = sing; perform-sing = sing in performance
演 means to perform or act (think 表演 perform); 唱 means to sing (the 口 mouth radical on the left is a giveaway). Together 演唱 specifies singing as a performance, not casual singing.
演 — water 氵 + 寅 (yín, phonetic)
演 is a semantic-phonetic compound: the water radical 氵 gives the meaning, originally referring to water flowing far and spreading out, while 寅 supplies the sound. From 'water extending' it broadened to 'develop, elaborate, perform,' as in unfolding a story or acting out a play.
唱 — mouth 口 + 昌 (bright/prosperous, phonetic)
唱 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The mouth radical 口 signals an action done with the voice, while 昌 supplies the sound and originally meant 'bright' or 'flourishing.' Together they came to mean 'to sing' or 'lead in chanting,' extending to 'call out' or 'proclaim.'