How to write 言

Animated Stroke Order of 言

Learn to write the Chinese character "言" by watching the stroke order animation of "言".

Stroke by Stroke: 言 Writing Order

Master the Chinese character '言' stroke by stroke with visual step-by-step instructions.

Follow the Calligraphy Master: Writing '言' Step-by-Step

Learn the proper way to write the Chinese character '言' through a video tutorial with a calligraphy teacher. Follow the Calligraphy Master's Step-by-Step Guide to Write the Chinese Character '言'. You can download the printable handwriting worksheets below and practice writing together with pen and paper.

Free Printable 言 Handwriting Practice Worksheets

Printable Writing Practice Worksheet of "言"

Printable Handwriting Practice Worksheet of the Chinese character 言

Download the worksheet in PNG format

Printable Stroke Order Practice Worksheet of "言"

Printable Stroke Order Practice Worksheet of the Chinese character 言

Download the worksheet in PNG format

Meaning of 言

Pinyin yán

Radical

言

Strokes

Definition

to speak / to say / talk / word

Usage

★★★★★

言 [yán] 1. 讲，说。 [En.] Say; speak; talk. 2. 说的话。 [En.] What has been said; speech. 3. 汉语的字。 [En.] A character in the Chinese language. 4. 语助词，无义。 [En.] A grammatical particle with no meaning. 5. 姓。 [En.] A surname. 6. 讲，说：例如: ~说。~喻。~道。~欢。~情。~必有中（一说就说到点子上）。 [En.] For example: say; refer; express; relate; convey; always accurate (when one speaks, it often hits the point). 7. 说的话：例如: ~论。~辞（亦作“言词”）。语~。~语。~简意赅。 [En.] For example: discussions; wording (also known as "speech"); language; concise and to the point. 8. 汉语的字：例如: 五~诗。七~绝句。洋洋万~。 [En.] For example: five-character poetry; seven-character quatrain; an abundance of words. 9. 语助词，无义：例如: ~归于好。“~告师氏，~告~归”。 [En.] For example: it ends in harmony; “inform the teacher, inform on the return”. 10. 姓。 [En.] A surname. 【动】本义: 说，说话 [En.] Original meaning: speak; talk. 造字法: 指事。甲骨文字形，下面是“舌”字，下面一横表示言从舌出。“言”是张口伸舌讲话的象形。从“言”的字与说话或道德有关。 [En.] Character formation: Pictographic. The oracle bone script shows a representation of "tongue" at the bottom, with a horizontal line signifying that speech comes from the tongue. The character "言" is a pictogram of opening the mouth and sticking out the tongue to speak. It relates to speech or moral issues. 同本义 [En.] Same original meaning: say; speak; talk. 议论，谈论 [En.] Discuss; comment. 记载 [En.] Write down; record. 问 [En.] Ask; inquire. 告知;告诉 [En.] Inform; tell; let know. 陈述;叙述 [En.] State; narrate. 解释引文、词语或某种现象的发端词，相当于“就是说”或“意思是” [En.] Namely; meaning is. 说明 [En.] Explain. 【名】 1. 话，言语，口语。又特指怨言、谤言 [En.] Speech; spoken language; specifically refers to complaints or slander. 2. 言论;见解;意见 [En.] Public comments; opinions; viewpoints. 3. 言辞;辞令;辞章 [En.] Wording; phrases; prose. 4. 政令;号令 [En.] Government orders; commands. 5. 誓言;盟辞;约言 [En.] Oaths; pledges; promises. 6. 建议;主意;计策 [En.] Suggestions; ideas; plans. 7. 学说;主张 [En.] Theories; beliefs; positions. 8. 言语或文章中的字 [En.] Characters; words in speech or writing. 9. 口语或文章中的句子 [En.] Sentences in spoken language or text. 10. 著作 [En.] Writings; works. 11. 姓 [En.] A surname. 【助】无义，用于句中或句首，作语气助词 [En.] A particle with no meaning, used in sentences or at the beginning for emphasis.

欲言又止 yù yán yòu zhǐ

to want to say sth but then hesitate

哑口无言 yǎ kǒu wú yán

dumbstruck and unable to reply (idiom); left speechless / at a loss for words

不言而喻 bù yán ér yù

it goes without saying / it is self-evident

不可言喻 bù kě yán yù

inexpressible (idiom)

坦言 tǎn yán

to say candidly / to acknowledge frankly

苦不堪言 kǔ bù kān yán

to suffer unspeakable misery / indescribably painful / hellish

妄言 wàng yán

lies / wild talk / to tell lies / to talk nonsense / fantasy (literature)

妖言 yāo yán

heresy

妙不可言 miào bù kě yán

too wonderful for words

婉言谢绝 wǎn yán xiè jué

politely refuse / refuse with thanks / decline ... with thanks / graciously decline

婉言 wǎn yán

tactful / diplomatic / mild and indirect

危言耸听 wēi yán sǒng tīng

frightening words to scare people (idiom); alarmist talk / reds under the beds

疾言厉色 jí yán lì sè

harsh words and looks

正言厉色 zhèng yán lì sè

solemn in word and countenance (idiom); strict and unsmiling / also written 正顏厲色|正颜厉色

寓言 yù yán

fable / CL:則|则[ze2]

沉默寡言 chén mò guǎ yán

habitually silent (idiom) / reticent / uncommunicative

少言寡语 shǎo yán guǎ yǔ

be a little bit quiet

花言巧语 huā yán qiǎo yǔ

graceful words, flowery speech (idiom); elegant but insincere words / cheating wheedling / dishonest rhetoric

序言 xù yán

preface / introductory remarks / preamble / prelude

毋庸讳言 wú yōng huì yán

no need for reticence

王言彬 wáng yán bīn

Wang Yanbin

好言相劝 hǎo yán xiāng quàn

plead with tactful words

言之凿凿 yán zhī záo záo

say with certainty / speak on good grounds / say with definite evidence

忠言 zhōng yán

loyal advice / sincere advice

怨言 yuàn yán

complaint

妖言惑众 yāo yán huò zhòng

to mislead the public with rumors (idiom) / to delude the people with lies

大言不惭 dà yán bù cán

to boast shamelessly / to talk big

谨言慎行 jǐn yán shèn xíng

speak and act cautiously / mind one's P's and Q's

插言 chā yán

Interjection

握手言和 wò shǒu yán hé

bury the hatchet / shake hands / forgive and forget

敢怒而不敢言 gǎn nù ér bù gǎn yán

angry, but not daring to speak out (idiom); obliged to remain silent about one's resentment / unable to voice objections

一言既出 yī yán jì chū

Say it all

畅所欲言 chàng suǒ yù yán

lit. fluently saying all one wants (idiom); to preach freely on one's favorite topic / to hold forth to one's heart's content

汇编语言 huì biān yǔ yán

assembly language

溢于言表 yì yú yán biǎo

to exhibit one's feelings in one's speech

你一言我一语 nǐ yī yán wǒ yī yǔ

You say me

你一言 nǐ yī yán

Your word

言犹在耳 yán yóu zài ěr

words still ringing in one's ears (idiom)

狂言 kuáng yán

ravings / delirious utterances / kyōgen (a form of traditional Japanese comic theater)

甜言蜜语 tián yán mì yǔ

(idiom) sweet words / sweet talk / cajolery

直言 zhí yán

to speak forthrightly / to talk bluntly

箴言 zhēn yán

admonition / exhortation / dictum / the biblical Book of Proverbs

发言人 fā yán rén

spokesperson

王顾左右而言他 wáng gù zuǒ yòu ér yán tā

the king looked left and right and then talked of other things / to digress from the topic of discussion (idiom)

仗义执言 zhàng yì zhí yán

to speak out for justice (idiom); to take a stand on a matter of principle

其言也善 qí yán yě shàn

Good words

污言秽语 wū yán huì yǔ

filthy speech / obscenities

粗言秽语 cū yán huì yǔ

Foul language

留言簿 liú yán bù

visitor's book / CL:本[ben3]

粤方言 yuè fāng yán

Yue dialect

而言 ér yán

with regard to (preceding phrase)

肺腑之言 fèi fǔ zhī yán

words from the bottom of one's heart

胡言乱语 hú yán luàn yǔ

babbling nonsense (idiom); crazy and unfounded ravings / double Dutch

不苟言笑 bù gǒu yán xiào

serious in speech and manner / not frivolous in talking and joking

一言以蔽之 yī yán yǐ bì zhī

one word says it all (idiom, from Analects); to cut a long story short / in a nutshell

流言蜚语 liú yán fēi yǔ

rumors and slanders (idiom); gossip / lies and slanders

言不由衷 yán bù yóu zhōng

to say sth without meaning it (idiom); to speak tongue in cheek / saying one thing but meaning sth different

谗言 chán yán

slander / slanderous report / calumny / false charge

语言 yǔ yán

language / CL:門|门[men2],種|种[zhong3]

发言 fā yán

to make a speech / statement / utterance / CL:個|个[ge4]

预言 yù yán

to predict / prophecy

言论 yán lùn

expression of opinion / views / remarks / arguments

方言 fāng yán

topolect / dialect

谣言 yáo yán

rumor

此言 cǐ yán

This statement

言行 yán xíng

words and actions / what one says and what one does

出言 chū yán

to speak / words

一言不发 yī yán bù fā

to not say a word (idiom)

常言道 cháng yán dào

As the saying goes

自言自语 zì yán zì yǔ

to talk to oneself / to think aloud / to soliloquize

传言 chuán yán

rumor / hearsay

可言 kě yán

it may be said

无言 wú yán

to remain silent / to have nothing to say

断言 duàn yán

to assert / assertion

流言 liú yán

rumor / gossip / to spread rumors

誓言 shì yán

to pledge / to promise / oath / vow

言简意赅 yán jiǎn yì gāi

concise and comprehensive (idiom)

直言不讳 zhí yán bù huì

to speak bluntly (idiom) / not to mince words

讳言 huì yán

dare not or would not speak up / avoid mentioning sth.

毫不讳言 háo bù huì yán

candid / call a spade a spade / make no attempt to conceal the truth

言词 yán cí

variant of 言辭|言辞[yan2 ci2]

语言学 yǔ yán xué

linguistics

言谈 yán tán

discourse / words / utterance / what one says / manner of speech

谎言 huǎng yán

lie

直言极谏 zhí yán jí jiàn

Bluntly admonish

直言进谏 zhí yán jìn jiàn

Bluntly admonish

赘言 zhuì yán

superfluous words / unnecessary detail

赠言 zèng yán

words of advice or encouragement given to a friend at parting

比较语言学 bǐ jiào yǔ yán xué

comparative linguistics

出言不逊 chū yán bù xùn

to speak rudely

遗言 yí yán

words of the deceased / last words of the dying / wisdom of past sages

名正言顺 míng zhèng yán shùn

in a way that justifies the use of the term / genuine / proper / in a way that conforms to logic / justifiable / appropriate / perfectly legitimate

默默无言 mò mò wú yán

silently / keep silent / remain silent

一言九鼎 yī yán jiǔ dǐng

one word worth nine sacred tripods (idiom); words of enormous weight