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说起 (shuō qǐ) — to mention, to bring up (a topic)

Definition

说起 (shuōqǐ, NOT shuì) means 'to bring up / to mention' a topic. It implies the topic is just now being introduced into the conversation, often followed by what is said about it.

verb
to mentionto bring up (a topic)

Examples

  • 说起，。
    Wǒ men shuō qǐ nà jiàn shì de shí hou, tā jìn lái le.
    When we started talking about that matter, he came in.
  • 说起，。
    Yì shuō qǐ lǚ yóu, tā jiù tè bié xīng fèn.
    Whenever travel is mentioned, he gets very excited.
  • 说起。
    Tā shuō qǐ le zì jǐ de tóng nián jīng lì.
    He talked about his childhood experiences.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

说shuōspeak
起qǐstart/up

说 means speak and 起 adds the sense of starting or coming up, so 说起 is to bring up a topic.

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 →

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
走走zǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
巳
巳sì起qǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

起 is made from 走 and 巳: 走 is the part connected with walking or running, and 巳 gives the sound.

Open 起 →
Appears in
Communication & Speech

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