言 yán words
words; speech
How to remember 言: 亠 lid + 二 two + 口 mouth = words. The shy girl lifts the lid of her music box, two tiny dancers spin, and from her mouth come her first brave words.
Component breakdown
言 = 亠 lid + 二 two + 口 mouth
- 亠 lid
- 二 two
- 口 mouth
The shy girl lifts the lid of her music box, two tiny dancers spin, and from her mouth come her first brave words.
How it came to be
A mouth at the bottom with the tongue drawn coming out of it, and strokes above for the breath leaving. Add one more stroke inside the mouth and it becomes sound without the meaning.
How it is used
- Literary word for "speech/words"; spoken Chinese uses 话 (huà) or 说 (shuō). 语言 (yǔyán) language and 方言 (fāngyán) dialect are its core nouns.
- 发言 (fāyán) = to speak up / make remarks at a meeting; 留言 (liúyán) = to leave a message (comment, voicemail).
- 自言自语 (zìyán-zìyǔ) = to talk to oneself, and 名言 (míngyán) = a famous saying/quote.
Characters built with 言
Words with 言
- 语言yǔyánlanguageHSK 3
- 发言fāyánto make a speechHSK 5
- 留言liúyánto leave a messageHSK 5
- 方言fāngyándialectHSK 6
- 自言自语zìyán-zìyǔto talk to oneselfHSK 6
- 言语yányǔwordsHSK 6
- 一言一行yìyán-yìxíngevery word and action (idiom)HSK 7
- 一言不发yìyán-bùfāto not say a word (idiom)HSK 7
- 传言chuányánrumorHSK 7
- 发言人fāyánrénspokespersonHSK 7
- 名言míngyánsayingHSK 7
- 序言xùyánprefaceHSK 7
- 总而言之zǒng’éryánzhīin shortHSK 7
- 言行yánxíngwords and actionsHSK 7
- 言论yánlùnexpression of opinionHSK 7
- 预言yùyánto predictHSK 7
- 不言而喻bùyán’éryùit goes without sayingHSK 8
- 代言dàiyánto be a spokespersonHSK 8
- 坦言tǎnyánto say candidlyHSK 8
- 宣言xuānyándeclarationHSK 8
- 寓言yùyánfableHSK 8
- 怨言yuànyáncomplaintHSK 8
- 言辞yáncíwordsHSK 9
- 诺言nuòyánpromiseHSK 9
- 谎言huǎngyánlieHSK 9
- 谣言yáoyánrumorHSK 9
Example sentences
- 你会说几种语言？ Nǐ huì shuō jǐ zhǒng yǔyán?How many languages do you speak?
- 他的发言很清楚。 Tā de fāyán hěn qīngchu.His presentation is very clear.
- 主任总结了发言。 Zhǔrèn zǒngjiéle fāyán.The director summarized the presentations.
- 我在会上首先发言。 Wǒ zài huì shang shǒuxiān fāyán.I spoke first at the meeting.