Speak in Japanese
"speak" in Japanese, with the kanji that carry the meaning.
4 Japanese kanji carry the meaning "speak". The most common choice is shown first.
Which one to use
話 is to speak or talk, the everyday word. 述 is to state or set out, used of formal statements. 仰 is what a superior says, a respectful word. 言 is to say. Japanese chooses by who is speaking to whom.
Top pick
tale, talk
Reading: wa
13 strokes
Where it comes from
Composed of '言' (words) and '舌' (tongue). Using tongue to speak words.
What it carries
Conversation, story, communication. Foundation of human relationships.
Related kanji for "speak"
speak
jutsu · wisdom
Composed of advance and phonetic. Advancing and stating.
speak
gyou
Composed of person and look up. Person looking up.
speak
gen · wisdom
Pictograph of words coming from mouth. Shape of tongue and mouth.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Japanese kanji for speak?
The most common kanji for "speak" is 話, read as wa. It means tale, talk. Related kanji: 述 (speak), 仰 (speak), 言 (speak).
How many strokes does 話 have?
話 has 13 strokes.