play by ear

English

Verb

play by ear

(transitive and intransitive, of music) To play guided by one's musical ear, rather than from a written score.
(transitive and intransitive, idiomatic) To do by guessing, intuition, or trial and error; to react to events as they occur; improvise
If they ask for something we didn't prepare, we will have to play it by ear.

Synonyms

(do by guessing, intuition, etc, reacting to events as they occur): fly by the seat of one's pants, make it up as one goes along, wing it

Translations

play music guided by one's musical ear

Chinese:
Mandarin: 憑記憶演奏, 凭记忆演奏 (píng jìyì yǎnzòu)
Danish: please add this translation if you can
Finnish: soittaa korvakuulolta

French: jouer à l'oreille
Polish: grać ze słuchu (literally: play from hearing)
Portuguese: tocar de memória (from memory), tocar de ouvido (in imitation of a performance)
Spanish: tocar de memoria m

do by guessing

Chinese:
Mandarin: 看情況 (zh), 看情况 (zh) (kàn qíngkuàng), 到時候再說, 到时候再说 (dào shíhou zàishuō), 湊合 (zh), 凑合 (zh) (còuhe), 見機行事 (zh), 见机行事 (zh) (jiànjīxíngshì)
Danish: please add this translation if you can
Finnish: tehdä sormituntumalta, ajaa pers'tuntumalla
French: please add this translation if you can

Polish: please add this translation if you can
Portuguese: please add this translation if you can
Russian: де́йствовать по обстоя́тельствам impf (déjstvovatʹ po obstojátelʹstvam)
Spanish: please add this translation if you can

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