講 (jiǎng) - To speak & to explain

講Tone 3

jiǎng ｜ 17 strokes ｜ radical:

健傑

講 · jiǎng

To speak;

to explain;

to discuss;

to negotiate;

to emphasize;

to pay attention to.

To speakto explainto discuss

Usage highlights

To lectureTo speakTo tell a storyTo negotiateTo explainTo pay attention to

Synonyms

  • 说— to speak; to say
  • 谈— to talk; to discuss
  • 述— to narrate; to state

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The teacher explained the lesson clearly (老师把课讲得很清楚).
  • Let's talk about this matter (我们来讲讲这件事).
  • He is good at storytelling (他很会讲故事).
  • We need to negotiate the terms (我们需要讲条件).
  • This school emphasizes discipline (这所学校讲纪律).

Collocations

  • To lecture(讲课)
  • To speak(讲话)
  • To tell a story(讲故事)
  • To negotiate(讲和)
  • To explain(讲解)
  • To pay attention to(讲究)

Idioms

  • To haggle over every ounce(斤斤计较)
  • High-sounding words(高谈阔论)
  • To speak frankly(直言不讳)
  • To talk about professional matters(讲经说法)
  • To speak reasonably(讲理)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Confucian tradition, proper speech (讲) is considered essential for moral cultivation and social harmony.
  • The character reflects the importance of eloquence and reasoned discourse in Chinese scholarly culture.
  • In modern contexts, 讲 maintains its core meaning of verbal communication while extending to negotiation and emphasis.

FAQ