Definition
可言 is a literary verb phrase meaning 'can be said' or 'it may be said'. It is most commonly used in negative constructions like 不可言 (cannot be said) and 无可言 (nothing can be said). It appears in formal or written Chinese, often to express that something is beyond words.
v
can be saidit may be said (often used in negative constructions)
Examples
- 。Tā de tòngkǔ bù kě yán.His pain is unspeakable.
- ，。Zhè jiàn shì wú kě yán, zhǐ néng chénmò.This matter cannot be said; one can only remain silent.
- ，。Zhè zhǒng gǎnshòu hěn nán biǎodá, dàn bìng bú shì bù kě yán.This feeling is hard to express, but it is not unspeakable.
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