Most of us have had to endure the squawking sounds of a co-worker doing karaoke. But what language does the word originate from?

The term "karaoke" is derived from two Japanese words: "kara," which means empty or vacant, and "oke" which means orchestra. It is said to have originated at a Japanese snack bar when a planned performer was unable to appear. The bartender played recorded music and encouraged the customers to join in on the singing.

Asked by Vasilii Kulev · Last updated 4 years ago · 61.1K views · SOURCE