言語

简 言语 · 繁 言語
Mandarin · pinyin yán yǔ#

Meanings · yán yǔ

  1. words
  2. speech
  3. (spoken) language
Mandarin · pinyin yán yu#

Meanings · yán yu

  1. to speak
  2. to tell
Full entryShow on map

Characters in this entry

言
yán · words, speech; speak, say; Kangxi radical 149
語
Look up this written character
语
yǔ · language, words; saying, expression
Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

Explore the spelling

Mandarin tones

2–3 · yan2 yu3

Compare attested words with these syllables ↗

Dictionary tones. Connected speech can change their realization.

Connected dictionary

2character links1same-tone record
Explore word families ↗Compare pronunciations ↗Open character structure ↗
Counts describe dictionary records, not word frequency or semantic similarity. Source identities stay separate.

Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

言語 · find source passages ↗ · 言语 · find source passages ↗

Explore Classical grammar ↗

Compare dictionary sources Rime · Wiktionary

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

jin4 jyu5

Cantonese word readings for 言語. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

CanCLID contributors · CC BY 4.0 · source & license · Data pack

Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

noun

  1. speech; spoken language

verb

  1. (colloquial Mandarin, Hakka, chiefly negative) to speak; to say a word

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source & license · Data pack