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说来 (shuō lái) — (phrase) speaking of, come to mention it; (phrase) to bring up a topic (in conversation)

Definition

A set phrase that flags a tangent or callback in conversation — 'speaking of…' or 'come to mention it'. Not a content verb; you add it to introduce a related topic mid-flow.

phrase
speaking ofcome to mention itto bring up a topic (in conversation)

Examples

  • 说来，？
    shuō lái, Nǐ shàng cì shuō de nà jiàn shì zěn me yàng le?
    Speaking of which, how did that matter you mentioned last time turn out?
  • 说来，。
    shuō lái Yě qí guài, tā jīn tiān jū rán méi chí dào.
    Now that you mention it, it's strange that he wasn't late today.
  • ，。
    shuō lái Huà cháng, gǎi tiān zài gēn nǐ xì liáo.
    It's a long story; let's talk about it another day.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

说shuōspeak
来láicome

说 means to speak and 来 means to come, so the word conveys coming to speak of something.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 說; 说 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
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.

Open 说 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 來; 来 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 來 shows a wheat plant: a central ear, upward leaves, and downward stem and roots. The simplified 来 is a later shorthand.

Open 来 →
Appears in
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