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言

On'yomi
ゲン・ゴン
GEN / GON
Kun'yomi
い.う・こと
iu / koto

say · word

Details

Strokes7
Frequency#83
Radical言speech(7)

Stroke Order

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Strokes7

Cultural Context

Etymology

Pictograph of words coming from mouth. Shape of tongue and mouth.

Symbolism

Words, promise, truth. Belief in power of words seen in 'kotodama' concept.

Related Culture & Scenes

  • — Drawing a sword

Words & Expressions

Words written with 言

言葉ことばword
小言こごとrebuke
真言しんごんmantra
方言ほうげんdialect
言い渡すいいわたすannounce

Four-Character Compounds

悪口雑言

あっこうぞうごん

all kinds of malicious gossip; heaping verbal abuse (on); cursing and swearing (words)

一言一行

いちげんいっこう

every word and act; just a word or an act

一言居士

いちげんこじ

person who is ready to comment on every subject; ready critic

言語道断

ごんごどうだん

outrageous; preposterous; scandalous

言行一致

げんこういっち

acting up to one's words; consistency between speech and action

巧言令色

こうげんれいしょく

flattery; honeyed words

三百代言

さんびゃくだいげん

pettifogging lawyer; unscrupulous or unethical lawyer; shyster

千言万語

せんげんばんご

a great many words; huge number of words

大言壮語

たいげんそうご

big talk; boasting; bragging

不言実行

ふげんじっこう

action before words; work before talk

不言不語

ふげんふご

silence

片言隻語

へんげんせきご

(not even) a few words

流言飛語

りゅうげんひご

false rumour (rumor); groundless rumour; canard

一言半句

いちげんはんく

a single word; (not even) a word; (not even) a syllable

罵詈雑言

ばりぞうごん

all manner of (verbal) abuse; all kinds of names; abusive language

一言一句

いちごんいっく

every single word and phrase; word by word

言文一致

げんぶんいっち

unification of the written and spoken forms of a language

造言飛語

ぞうげんひご

wild rumor; wild rumour

嘉言善行

かげんぜんこう

good words and good deeds

狂言綺語

きょうげんきご

make-believe fiction

忠言逆耳

ちゅうげんぎゃくじ

good advice is harsh to the ears; honest advice is often unpleasant to the ears

片言隻句

へんげんせきく

few words; single phrase

漫言放語

まんげんほうご

saying whatever one feels; speaking at random; making careless remarks

面従後言

めんじゅうこうげん

pretending to obey someone to his face but badmouthing him behind his back

妄言多謝

もうげんたしゃ

kindly excuse my reckless remarks; please excuse my thoughtless words

恐惶謹言

きょうこうきんげん

very truly yours; very respectfully yours

言行齟齬

げんこうそご

inconsistency of speech and action; failing to act up to one's words; not practicing what one preaches

他言無用

たごんむよう

not a word to anyone; keep it secret; mum's the word

沈黙寡言

ちんもくかげん

taciturn; reticent

有言実行

ゆうげんじっこう

carrying out one's words; being as good as one's word; making good on one's promise

恐恐謹言

きょうきょうきんげん

very truly yours (a complimentary close used in a letter written in an old epistolary style)

前言往行

ぜんげんおうこう

words and deeds of the people of yore

甘言蜜語

かんげんみつご

honeyed words; flattery

甜言蜜語

てんげんみつご

honeyed words; flattery

Proverbs & Idioms

言わぬが花

いわぬがはな

Not saying is the flower

Sometimes silence is golden

Poetry

和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

今こむと 言ひしばかりに 長月の 有明の月を 待ちいでつるかな

Only because you said you would come at once, I waited through the long ninth month until the dawn moon rose.

素性法師Sosei Hōshi
9th century
和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

今はただ 思ひ絶えなむ とばかりを 人づてならで 言ふよしもがな

Now there is only this to say — that I give you up — and I wish I could say it myself, not through another.

左京大夫道雅Sakyō no Daibu Michimasa
11th century

Anime & Manga

言の葉の庭

The Garden of Words

Anime

A well-known work with 言 in its Japanese title.

サイダーのように言葉が湧き上がる

Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop

Anime

A well-known work with 言 in its Japanese title.

旦那が何を言っているかわからない件

I Can't Understand What My Husband Is Saying

Anime

A well-known work with 言 in its Japanese title.

私、能力は平均値でって言ったよね!

Didn't I Say to Make My Abilities Average in the Next Life?!

Anime

A well-known work with 言 in its Japanese title.

クビキリサイクル 青色サヴァンと戯言遣い

Kubikiri Cycle: The Blue Savant and the Nonsense User

Anime

A well-known work with 言 in its Japanese title.

Related Figures & Stories

清少納言

Sei Shōnagon966–1025

Name contains 言

Sei Shōnagon , or Seijo ʑo, seꜜː-], lit. 'Lady Sei'), was a Japanese author, poet, and court lady who served the Empress Teishi around the year 1000,…

Wikipedia

尚侍家中納言

Go-Saga-in chūnagon no tenji1201–1299

Name contains 言

Fujiwara no Chikako was a waka poet and Japanese noblewoman active in the Kamakura period.

Wikipedia

Other kanji with the same meaning

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 言 mean in Japanese?

言 means say, word.

How do you read 言?

On'yomi: ゲン、ゴン (GEN, GON). Kun'yomi: い.う、こと (iu, koto).

How many strokes does 言 have?

言 has 7 strokes. Its radical is 言 (speech).

Is 言 a good kanji for a tattoo?

言 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means say, word. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.

Explore by meaning:say · word