a series of musical notes that are sung or played in a particular order to form a piece of music 曲调；曲子 to sing/whistle a tune 唱歌/吹口哨 He was humming a familiar tune. 他低声哼着一支熟悉的小曲。 I can play a few tunes on the piano. 我会在钢琴上弹几首曲子。 I don't know the title but I recognize the tune. 我不知道曲名，但听得出这曲调。 It was a catchy tune (= easy to remember). 这是一首悦耳易记的曲子。 - to the tune of something
a football song sung to the tune of (= using the tune of) ‘When the saints go marching in’ 用《圣者的行进》的曲调唱的足球歌 a show/dance/pop tune 表演/舞蹈/流行歌曲
Collocations Musicsee also signature tune, theme tuneMusic 音乐 Listening 听 - listen to/enjoy/love/be into music/classical music/jazz/pop/hip-hop, etc.
听／欣赏／喜爱／迷上音乐／古典音乐／爵士乐／流行音乐／嘻哈音乐等 - listen to the radio/an MP3 player/a CD
听收音机／MP3 播放器／CD - put on/play a CD/a song/some music
播放 CD／歌曲／音乐 - turn down/up the music/radio/volume/bass
调小／调大音乐／收音机／音量／低音 - go to a concert/festival/gig/performance/recital
去听音乐会；去看会演／现场演唱会／演出／音乐演奏会 - copy/burn/rip music/a CD/a DVD
复制／刻录／翻录音乐／CD／DVD - download/stream music/an album/a song/a video/a playlist
Playing 演奏 - play a musical instrument/the piano/percussion/a note/a riff/the melody/a concerto/a duet/by ear
演奏乐器／钢琴／打击乐／音符／重复段／主旋律／协奏曲／二重奏；凭听觉记忆演奏 - sing an anthem/a ballad/a solo/an aria/the blues/in a choir/soprano/alto/tenor/bass/out of tune
唱国歌／民歌；独唱；唱咏叹调／蓝调歌曲；在合唱团演唱；唱女高音／中音／男高音／男低音；唱歌走调 - hum a tune/a theme tune/a lullaby
哼曲子／主题曲／摇篮曲 - accompany a singer/choir
为歌手／合唱团伴奏 - strum a chord/guitar
弹奏和弦／吉他
Performing 表演 - form/start/get together/join/quit/leave a band
组建／创办／组成／加入／退出／离开乐队 - give a performance/concert/recital
表演节目；举办音乐会／音乐演奏会 - do a concert/recital/gig
开音乐会／音乐演奏会／现场演唱会 - play a concert/gig/festival/venue
在音乐会／现场演唱会／会演／音乐厅演出 - perform (British English) at/in a concert/(especially North American English) a concert
在音乐会上演出 - appear at a festival/live
现身会演；现场表演 - go on/embark on a (world) tour
进行／开始（全球）巡演
Recording 录制 - write/compose music/a ballad/a melody/a tune/a song/a theme song/an opera/a symphony
写／创作音乐／民谣／旋律／曲子／歌曲／主题歌／歌剧／交响曲 - land/get/sign a record deal
获得／签署唱片合约 - be signed to/be dropped by a record company
与唱片公司签约；被唱片公司解约 - record/release/put out an album/a single/a CD
录制／发行／出版专辑／单曲／CD - be top of/top the charts
高居每周流行唱片排行榜之首 - get to/go straight to/go straight in at/enter the charts at number one
位列／一举登上／进入排行榜首位
Extra ExamplesTopics Musicb2The kids were picking out a popular tune on the old piano. 孩子们在旧钢琴上一个音一个音地弹奏一首流行乐曲。 a collection of classic tunes 一套经典乐曲合集 an old jazz tune 一首昔日的爵士乐曲 He wasn't allowed in the choir because he couldn't hold a tune (= sing the correct notes). 他没能进唱诗班，因为他唱歌时走调。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- little
- good
- great
- …
- hum
- play (somebody)
- sing
- …
- to the tune of something
Word Originlate Middle English: unexplained alteration of tone. The verb is first recorded (late 15th cent.) in the sense ‘celebrate in music, sing’.
Idioms
be in/out of tune
to be/not be singing or playing the correct musical notes to sound pleasant 音调正确／不正确；演奏合调／走调
be in/out of tune (with somebody/something)
to be/not be in agreement with somebody/something; to have/not have the same opinions, feelings, interests, etc. as somebody/something （与…）协调／不协调，一致／不一致，融洽／不融洽 These proposals are perfectly in tune with our own thoughts on the subject. 这些建议与我们在这个问题上的想法完全一致。 The President is out of tune with public opinion. 总统与公众舆论大唱反调。
call the shots/tune
- (informal)
to be the person who controls a situation 控制；操纵
change your tune
- (informal)
to express a different opinion or behave in a different way when your situation changes 改变口风；转变态度；变卦
dance to somebody’s tune
to do whatever somebody tells you to 听从某人的指挥；唯命是从；言听计从
he who pays the piper calls the tune
- (saying)
the person who provides the money for something can also control how it is spent 花钱的人说了算；财大者气粗
march to (the beat of) a different drummer/drum | march to a different beat/tune
to behave in a different way from other people; to have different attitudes or ideas 改变口风；转变态度；变卦 She was a gifted and original artist who marched to a different drummer. 她有天赋，具独创性，是个与众不同的艺术家。
sing a different tune
to change your opinion about somebody/something or your attitude towards somebody/something 改变观点（或态度）；改弦易辙
to the tune of something