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美言 (měi yán) — (noun) fine words, commendatory remarks

Definition

A set phrase meaning 'kind / flattering words', often used in the fixed request 替我美言几句 ('put in a good word for me'). It praises what someone says, not the speaker.

noun
fine wordscommendatory remarks

Examples

  • 美言。
    Qǐng nǐ zài lǎo bǎn miàn qián tì wǒ shuō jǐ jù měi yán.
    Please put in a few good words for me in front of the boss.
  • 美言。
    Tā de měi yán ràng wǒ fēi cháng gǎn dòng.
    His kind words moved me deeply.
  • 美言，。
    Wǒ tīng le tā de měi yán, xīn lǐ hěn gāo xìng.
    After hearing his commendatory remarks, I felt very happy.

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.

美měifine
言yánwords

美 “fine” describes 言 “words,” giving fine or commendatory remarks.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

美 shows 大, a person, wearing 羊, a headdress of feathers or ram's horn.

Open 美 →

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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