说 (shuō) — to speak, to say, to talk
Definition
说 (shuō) is the everyday 'to speak/say' — used for what language you speak or reporting what someone said. 说话 is a more complete phrase for 'to talk'; 讲 is used for explaining or telling stories.
verb
to speakto sayto talk
Examples
- 说。Tā shuō zhōng wén.He speaks Chinese.
- 说？Nǐ huì shuō zhōng wén ma?Can you speak Chinese?
- 说。Qǐng shuō màn yì diǎn.Please speak a bit slower.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 說; 说 is its simplified writing.
Sound part声符shēngfú
兌
兌duì說shuō
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The traditional form 說 pairs 言 (meaning) with 兌 (sound); the simplified 说 is not the form described here.
Appears in
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