The word 歌曲 is formed by combining two characters, each representing a core aspect of the final concept: 歌 (gē) primarily means "to sing" or "song" (the vocal element), while 曲 (qǔ) means "tune", "melody", or "musical composition" (the instrumental or melodic element). Their conjunction creates a single, unified concept that encompasses both the lyrical and musical components, forming the complete idea of a "song".