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What is the Kanji for 'Say'? | 言

If you are wondering what is the Japanese Kanji for 'Say', you've come to the right place!

The Japanese Kanji for 'Say' is 言.

    kanji

    言

    Meaning

    Say

    Reading

    kunyomiい

    i

    こと

    koto

    onyomiげん

    gen

    ごん

    gon

    Parts

    二Two 口Mouth 亠Lid

    Example Word

    言う: say. The Japanese verb '言う (いう)' means 'to say' or 'to tell'. It is used to express speaking or conveying information. This verb is highly versatile and can be used in various contexts, such as quoting someone, expressing thoughts, or giving instructions. For example: He said he will come「彼は来ると言った」(かれはくるといった). What did you say?「何と言いましたか?」(なんといいましたか?). It can also be used in idiomatic expressions, such as 'そう言う (そういう)' meaning 'that kind of' or 'such'. Note that '言う' is often used in its polite form '言います (いいます)' in formal situations.

    Radical

    言

    Stroke Count

    7

    JLPT

    N4

    Grade

    2

    Frequency

    25

    Radical Form

    訁

    Handwriting

Parts of the Kanji 言

If you visually break down this kanji, you can see it is made up of 3 parts:

    kanji

    二

    Meaning

    Two

    kanji

    口

    Meaning

    Mouth

    radical

    亠

    Meaning

    Lid

言 As Part Of Other Kanji

This kanji appears as part of 22 other kanji:

    kanji

    訳

    Meaning

    Reason, Translation

    kanji

    調

    Meaning

    Investigate, Tune

    kanji

    計

    Meaning

    Measure, Plan

    kanji

    諦

    Meaning

    Abandon, Give up

    kanji

    認

    Meaning

    Recognize, Admit

    kanji

    記

    Meaning

    Record

    kanji

    評

    Meaning

    Evaluate

    kanji

    語

    Meaning

    Language, Word

    kanji

    話

    Meaning

    Talk

    kanji

    誓

    Meaning

    Swear, Vow

    kanji

    警

    Meaning

    Warn

    kanji

    読

    Meaning

    Read

    kanji

    諭

    Meaning

    Instruct, Admonish

    kanji

    訪

    Meaning

    Visit

    kanji

    誰

    Meaning

    Who

    kanji

    論

    Meaning

    Theory, Argument

    kanji

    訂

    Meaning

    Correct, Revise

    kanji

    信

    Meaning

    Trust

    kanji

    憲

    Meaning

    Constitution

    kanji

    誉

    Meaning

    Praise, Honor

    kanji

    誘

    Meaning

    Entice, Induce

    kanji

    謡

    Meaning

    Noh chanting, Popular song

Words Using 言

This kanji is used in 27 words:

    word

    言わば

    Meaning

    So to speak

    word

    一言

    Meaning

    Word

    word

    言付ける

    Meaning

    Entrust

    word

    宣言

    Meaning

    Declaration

    word

    発言

    Meaning

    Statement

    word

    言い返す

    Meaning

    Retort

    word

    言う

    Meaning

    Say

    word

    言葉

    Meaning

    Word

    word

    言い訳

    Meaning

    Excuse

    word

    言

    Meaning

    Word

    word

    書き言葉

    Meaning

    Written language

    word

    方言

    Meaning

    Dialect

    word

    言及

    Meaning

    Mention

    word

    言論

    Meaning

    Discussion, Speech

    word

    無言

    Meaning

    Silence

    word

    話し言葉

    Meaning

    Spoken language

    word

    言い表わす

    Meaning

    Express

    word

    言い方

    Meaning

    Way of speaking

    word

    伝言

    Meaning

    Message

    word

    言い出す

    Meaning

    Start saying

    word

    証言

    Meaning

    Testimony

    word

    言語

    Meaning

    Language

    word

    言葉遣い

    Meaning

    Wording

    word

    遺言

    Meaning

    Will

    word

    独り言

    Meaning

    Soliloquy

    word

    言い替える

    Meaning

    Rephrase

    word

    予言

    Meaning

    Prophecy

Kanji Related to 言 Through the Part 二

These 13 kanji contain the part 二 as well.

    kanji

    三

    Meaning

    Three

    kanji

    車

    Meaning

    Car

    kanji

    面

    Meaning

    Face, Surface

    kanji

    目

    Meaning

    Eye

    kanji

    互

    Meaning

    Mutual

    kanji

    元

    Meaning

    Origin

    kanji

    作

    Meaning

    Make

    kanji

    仁

    Meaning

    Benevolent, Humanity

    kanji

    手

    Meaning

    Hand

    kanji

    夫

    Meaning

    Man, Husband

    kanji

    井

    Meaning

    Well

    kanji

    会

    Meaning

    Meet

    kanji

    示

    Meaning

    Show, Indicate

Kanji Related to 言 Through the Part 口

These 102 kanji contain the part 口 as well.

    kanji

    君

    Meaning

    Ruler, You

    kanji

    吉

    Meaning

    Lucky, Good luck

    kanji

    園

    Meaning

    Garden

    kanji

    囲

    Meaning

    Surround

    kanji

    名

    Meaning

    Name

    kanji

    史

    Meaning

    History

    kanji

    豆

    Meaning

    Beans

    kanji

    品

    Meaning

    Product

    kanji

    由

    Meaning

    Reason

    kanji

    船

    Meaning

    Ship

    kanji

    右

    Meaning

    Right

    kanji

    呂

    Meaning

    Bath

    kanji

    中

    Meaning

    Center

    kanji

    唇

    Meaning

    Lips, Lip

    kanji

    高

    Meaning

    High, Expensive

    kanji

    獣

    Meaning

    Beast, Animal

    kanji

    叫

    Meaning

    Shout

    kanji

    谷

    Meaning

    Valley

    kanji

    古

    Meaning

    Old

    kanji

    合

    Meaning

    Fit, Match

    kanji

    司

    Meaning

    Director

    kanji

    唆

    Meaning

    Entice, Instigate

    kanji

    和

    Meaning

    Peace

    kanji

    哲

    Meaning

    Sagacious, Philosophy

    kanji

    石

    Meaning

    Stone

    kanji

    舌

    Meaning

    Tongue

    kanji

    喚

    Meaning

    Yell, Call

    kanji

    目

    Meaning

    Eye

    kanji

    嘱

    Meaning

    Request, Entrust

    kanji

    語

    Meaning

    Language, Word

    kanji

    各

    Meaning

    Each

    kanji

    喪

    Meaning

    Loss, Mourn, Mourning

    kanji

    句

    Meaning

    Phrase, Paragraph

    kanji

    吐

    Meaning

    Spit, Spew

    kanji

    聖

    Meaning

    Saint, Holy

    kanji

    倉

    Meaning

    Warehouse

    kanji

    喫

    Meaning

    Ingest, Consume

    kanji

    央

    Meaning

    Center

    kanji

    噴

    Meaning

    Spout, Erupt

    kanji

    嗅

    Meaning

    Smell, Sniff

    kanji

    命

    Meaning

    Command, Life

    kanji

    味

    Meaning

    Flavor

    kanji

    善

    Meaning

    Good, Virtuous

    kanji

    吏

    Meaning

    Officer, Official

    kanji

    吸

    Meaning

    Inhale, Suck

    kanji

    京

    Meaning

    Capital

    kanji

    嘲

    Meaning

    Ridicule, Insult

    kanji

    嚇

    Meaning

    Upbraid, Menacing

    kanji

    台

    Meaning

    Pedestal, Machine

    kanji

    咲

    Meaning

    Bloom, Blossom

    kanji

    拐

    Meaning

    Kidnap

    kanji

    召

    Meaning

    Seduce, Summon

    kanji

    唐

    Meaning

    Tang dynasty

    kanji

    号

    Meaning

    Number

    kanji

    周

    Meaning

    Circumference

    kanji

    占

    Meaning

    Fortune telling

    kanji

    兄

    Meaning

    Older brother

    kanji

    嘆

    Meaning

    Sigh

    kanji

    事

    Meaning

    Thing

    kanji

    如

    Meaning

    As, Likeness

    kanji

    喝

    Meaning

    Hoarse, Shout at

    kanji

    田

    Meaning

    Rice field

    kanji

    喉

    Meaning

    Throat

    kanji

    咽

    Meaning

    Windpipe

    kanji

    問

    Meaning

    Question, Problem

    kanji

    后

    Meaning

    Empress

    kanji

    足

    Meaning

    Foot, Sufficient

    kanji

    喜

    Meaning

    Rejoice

    kanji

    加

    Meaning

    Join, Add

    kanji

    唄

    Meaning

    Shamisen song

    kanji

    豪

    Meaning

    Great man, Magnificent

    kanji

    器

    Meaning

    Vessel

    kanji

    亭

    Meaning

    Inn, Pavilion

    kanji

    否

    Meaning

    Negate

    kanji

    啓

    Meaning

    Enlighten, State respectfully

    kanji

    員

    Meaning

    Member

    kanji

    含

    Meaning

    Contain, Include

    kanji

    知

    Meaning

    Know

    kanji

    告

    Meaning

    Announce

    kanji

    憲

    Meaning

    Constitution

    kanji

    鳴

    Meaning

    Chirp

    kanji

    呪

    Meaning

    Curse

    kanji

    可

    Meaning

    Possible

    kanji

    唱

    Meaning

    Chant

    kanji

    因

    Meaning

    Cause

    kanji

    喩

    Meaning

    Compare, Metaphor

    kanji

    尋

    Meaning

    Inquire

    kanji

    同

    Meaning

    Same

    kanji

    唯

    Meaning

    Only, Solely

    kanji

    回

    Meaning

    Revolve, Times (counter for occurrences)

    kanji

    西

    Meaning

    West

    kanji

    日

    Meaning

    Day, Sun

    kanji

    四

    Meaning

    Four

    kanji

    束

    Meaning

    Bundle, Bind

    kanji

    哀

    Meaning

    Pity, Sorrow

    kanji

    呼

    Meaning

    Invite, Call

    kanji

    唾

    Meaning

    Sputum, Saliva

    kanji

    国

    Meaning

    Country

    kanji

    嗣

    Meaning

    Heir

    kanji

    哺

    Meaning

    Nurse, Suckle

    kanji

    害

    Meaning

    Harm

    kanji

    呈

    Meaning

    Display, Present

Kanji Related to 言 Through the Part 亠

These 18 kanji contain the part 亠 as well.

    kanji

    立

    Meaning

    Stand

    kanji

    文

    Meaning

    Sentence

    kanji

    夜

    Meaning

    Night

    kanji

    衣

    Meaning

    Clothes

    kanji

    高

    Meaning

    High, Expensive

    kanji

    市

    Meaning

    City, Market

    kanji

    衷

    Meaning

    Inmost, Inner heart

    kanji

    京

    Meaning

    Capital

    kanji

    玄

    Meaning

    Profound, Mysterious

    kanji

    六

    Meaning

    Six

    kanji

    交

    Meaning

    Mix

    kanji

    豪

    Meaning

    Great man, Magnificent

    kanji

    亭

    Meaning

    Inn, Pavilion

    kanji

    帝

    Meaning

    Emperor, Sovereign

    kanji

    裏

    Meaning

    Inside, Rear

    kanji

    褒

    Meaning

    Praise

    kanji

    哀

    Meaning

    Pity, Sorrow

    kanji

    亡

    Meaning

    Death, Deceased

Learn the Kanji 言

Let's make sure you fully understand this kanji.

What does 言 mean?

言 means 'Say'.

Japanese school students learn this kanji in Second Grade, while non-native learners often study it for the JLPT N4 exam.

To help you master this kanji, here's an interactive lesson where you'll practice its readings and meanings.