Dictionary🇨🇳 Chinese → 🇺🇸 English
言
yán
Description
“言”是一个很老的字，意思是说话或说的话。
"言" is a very old character meaning to speak or words spoken.
今天我们常常在词语里看到它，比如“语言”和“方言”。
Today we often see "言" in words like "语言" (language) and "方言" (dialect).
Meanings
言yán
speech; words; what one says
他一言不发，很安静。
He didn't say a word and was very quiet.
言yán
to say; to speak
古人言：读书很重要。
The ancients said: reading is very important.
言yán
a word (measure for words/characters)
这首诗是五言的。
This poem is in five-character lines.
Related words
Notes
- Etymology
pictograph of a tongue/mouth, later meaning speech and spoken words.
- Nuance
mostly literary or in compounds today; everyday spoken 'say' uses 说 instead.
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