言 (yán) - speech, word, saying & to speak, to say

言Tone 2

yán ｜ 7 strokes ｜ radical: 言

妍嬿

言 · yán

speech, word, saying;

to speak, to say;

language;

character or word (as a unit of speech).

speech, word, sayingto speak, to saylanguage

Usage highlights

speechlanguagepromiseadvicerumordialect

Synonyms

  • 语— language, speech
  • 说— to speak, to say
  • 讲— to speak, to talk

Antonyms

  • 默— silent, tacit
  • 静— quiet, still

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He speaks very little (他很少言).
  • This is difficult to express in words (难以言表).
  • I have something to say (我有言在先).
  • Believe his words (信其言).

Collocations

  • speech(言语)
  • language(语言)
  • promise(诺言)
  • advice(建言)
  • rumor(谣言)
  • dialect(方言)

Idioms

  • Speak out without reserve(畅所欲言)
  • Words fail to convey the meaning(言不尽意)
  • A word once spoken cannot be taken back(一言既出，驷马难追)
  • Keep one's word(言而有信)
  • Actions speak louder than words(言行不一)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • One of the oldest Chinese characters, appearing on oracle bone inscriptions as a pictograph of a tongue coming out of a mouth.
  • In Confucianism, proper speech is emphasized as essential for moral conduct and social harmony.
  • Often used as a semantic component in characters related to speech, language, and communication.

FAQ