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感言 (gǎn yán) — remarks on one's feelings or experiences, especially delivered at a ceremony or formal event

Definition

A formal, written-style noun for remarks someone gives about their own feelings or experiences, typically at a ceremony (graduation, award, farewell). It refers to the speech itself, not general feelings.

noun
remarks on one's feelings or experiences, especially delivered at a ceremony or formal event

Examples

  • 感言。
    Tā zài bì yè diǎn lǐ shàng fā biǎo le gǎn rén zhì shēn de gǎn yán.
    She delivered a deeply moving graduation speech at the commencement ceremony.
  • 感言，。
    Huò jiǎng yǎn yuán de gǎn yán suī rán jiǎn duǎn, dàn chōng mǎn le zhēn chéng.
    The award-winning actor's acceptance speech was short but full of sincerity.
  • 感言。
    Qǐng měi wèi lǎo yuán gōng zài gào bié huì shàng shuō yí duàn gǎn yán.
    Please invite each longtime employee to give a brief farewell speech at the goodbye party.

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.

感gǎnfeeling
言yánwords

感 refers to feelings, and 言 to words; together they are remarks expressing those feelings.

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
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
咸
咸xián感gǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

感 pairs 咸, which gives the sound, with 心, the heart, for feeling.

Open 感 →

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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