言
say · word
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Pictograph of words coming from mouth. Shape of tongue and mouth.
Symbolism
Words, promise, truth. Belief in power of words seen in 'kotodama' concept.
Related Culture & Scenes
- — Drawing a sword
Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
悪口雑言
あっこうぞうごん
all kinds of malicious gossip; heaping verbal abuse (on); cursing and swearing (words); all kinds of malicious gossip
一言一行
いちげんいっこう
every word and act; just a word or an act; every word and act
一言居士
いちげんこじ
person who is ready to comment on every subject; ready critic; person who is ready to comment on every subject
言語道断
ごんごどうだん
outrageous; preposterous; scandalous; outrageous
言行一致
げんこういっち
acting up to one's words; consistency between speech and action; acting up to one's words
巧言令色
こうげんれいしょく
flattery; honeyed words; flattery
三百代言
さんびゃくだいげん
pettifogging lawyer; unscrupulous or unethical lawyer; shyster; pettifogging lawyer
千言万語
せんげんばんご
a great many words; huge number of words; a great many words
大言壮語
たいげんそうご
big talk; boasting; bragging; big talk
不言実行
ふげんじっこう
action before words; work before talk; action before words
不言不語
ふげんふご
silence; silence
片言隻語
へんげんせきご
(not even) a few words; (not even) a few words
流言飛語
りゅうげんひご
false rumour (rumor); groundless rumour; canard; false rumour (rumor)
一言半句
いちげんはんく
a single word; (not even) a word; (not even) a syllable; a single word
罵詈雑言
ばりぞうごん
all manner of (verbal) abuse; all kinds of names; abusive language; all manner of (verbal) abuse
一言一句
いちごんいっく
every single word and phrase; word by word; every single word and phrase
言文一致
げんぶんいっち
unification of the written and spoken forms of a language; unification of the written and spoken forms of a language
造言飛語
ぞうげんひご
wild rumor; wild rumour; wild rumor
嘉言善行
かげんぜんこう
good words and good deeds; good words and good deeds
狂言綺語
きょうげんきご
make-believe fiction; make-believe fiction
忠言逆耳
ちゅうげんぎゃくじ
good advice is harsh to the ears; honest advice is often unpleasant to the ears; good advice is harsh to the ears
片言隻句
へんげんせきく
few words; single phrase; few words
漫言放語
まんげんほうご
saying whatever one feels; speaking at random; making careless remarks; saying whatever one feels
面従後言
めんじゅうこうげん
pretending to obey someone to his face but badmouthing him behind his back; pretending to obey someone to his face but badmouthing him behind his back
妄言多謝
もうげんたしゃ
kindly excuse my reckless remarks; please excuse my thoughtless words; kindly excuse my reckless remarks
恐惶謹言
きょうこうきんげん
very truly yours; very respectfully yours; very truly yours
言行齟齬
げんこうそご
inconsistency of speech and action; failing to act up to one's words; not practicing what one preaches; inconsistency of speech and action
他言無用
たごんむよう
not a word to anyone; keep it secret; mum's the word; not a word to anyone
沈黙寡言
ちんもくかげん
taciturn; reticent; taciturn
有言実行
ゆうげんじっこう
carrying out one's words; being as good as one's word; making good on one's promise; carrying out one's words
恐恐謹言
きょうきょうきんげん
very truly yours (a complimentary close used in a letter written in an old epistolary style); very truly yours (a complimentary close used in a letter written in an old epistolary style)
前言往行
ぜんげんおうこう
words and deeds of the people of yore; words and deeds of the people of yore
甘言蜜語
かんげんみつご
honeyed words; flattery; honeyed words
甜言蜜語
てんげんみつご
honeyed words; flattery; honeyed words
Proverbs & Idioms
言わぬが花
いわぬがはな
Not saying is the flower
Sometimes silence is golden
Poetry
今こむと 言ひしばかりに 長月の 有明の月を 待ちいでつるかな
Poem #21 from Hyakunin Isshu
今はただ 思ひ絶えなむ とばかりを 人づてならで 言ふよしもがな
Poem #63 from Hyakunin Isshu