Last Updated：2025/11/20

(transitive and intransitive, of music) To play guided by one's musical ear, rather than from a written score.

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play by ear

Source Word

play by ear

Verb

intransitive of music transitive idiomatic

(transitive and intransitive, of music) To play guided by one's musical ear, rather than from a written score.

Japanese Meaning

楽譜に頼らず、耳の感覚で演奏すること

Although she had never seen the composition before, she could play by ear and perform it flawlessly.

彼女はその楽曲を見たことがなかったが、楽譜を見ずに耳だけで再現して完璧に演奏することができた。

Sense（1）

(transitive and intransitive, of music) To play guided by one's musical ear, rather than from a written score.

Sense（2）

If they ask for something we didn't prepare, we will have to play it by ear.

plays by ear

（ present singular third-person ）

playing by ear

（ participle present ）

played by ear

（ participle past ）

played by ear

（ past ）