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可言 (kě yán) — can be said; it may be said (often used in negative constructions)

Definition

A formal/literary verb used almost entirely in negative constructions like 不可言 and 无/难以言 to mean 'cannot be put into words' — the unspeakable or inexpressible.

verb
can be saidit may be said (often used in negative constructions)

Examples

  • 。
    Tā de tòng kǔ bù kě yán.
    His pain is unspeakable.
  • ，。
    Zhè jiàn shì wú kě yán, zhǐ néng chén mò.
    This matter cannot be said; one can only remain silent.
  • ，。
    Zhè zhǒng gǎn shòu hěn nán biǎo dá, dàn bìng bú shì bù kě yán.
    This feeling is hard to express, but it is not unspeakable.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

可kěcan
言yánsay

可 means can, and 言 means say, so it means able to be said.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
丂
丂kǎo可kě
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

可 pairs 口 (mouth) with 丂 as a sound part; it is tied to air from the mouth, perhaps singing.

Open 可 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

The early form of 言 shows an opening and a mark indicating a location; the location is not described as the source of speech.

Open 言 →
Appears in
Communication & Speech

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