speech

Origin & mnemonic

This radical originates from a pictograph representing speech and language, with a mouth (the center stroke) emitting words or utterances (the surrounding strokes). In seal script and oracle-bone script, it depicts the act of speaking and conveying ideas.

Mnemonic: Picture a mouth releasing lines of words—the speech radical shows three vertical strokes plus slanted marks suggesting utterance flowing outward.

• 课kè🔊

  subject

  HSK 1

  10 strokes

• 诺nuò🔊

  to consent

  10 strokes

• 调diào🔊

  to transfer

  HSK 3

  10 strokes

• 谅liàng🔊

  to show understanding

  10 strokes

• 诸zhū🔊

  all

  10 strokes

• 訚yín🔊

  respectful

  10 strokes

• 诹zōu🔊

  to choose

  10 strokes

• 诼zhuó🔊

  to complain

  10 strokes

• 诽fěi🔊

  slander

  10 strokes

• 诿wěi🔊

  to shirk

  10 strokes

• 谀yú🔊

  to flatter

  10 strokes

• 谂shěn🔊

  to know

  10 strokes

• 谄chǎn🔊

  to flatter

  10 strokes

• 谆zhūn🔊

  repeatedly (in giving advice)

  10 strokes

• 谇suì🔊

  abuse

  10 strokes

• 谉shěn🔊

  to investigate

  10 strokes

• 谊yì🔊

  friendship

  10 strokes

• 谓wèi🔊

  to speak

  11 strokes

• 谋móu🔊

  to plan

  11 strokes

• 谎huǎng🔊

  lies

  11 strokes

• 谜mí🔊

  riddle

  HSK 7

  11 strokes

• 谘zī🔊

  variant of 咨[zi1]

  11 strokes

• 䜣xīn🔊

  pleased

  11 strokes

• 谌chén🔊

  faithful

  11 strokes

• 谍dié🔊

  to spy

  11 strokes

• 谏jiàn🔊

  to remonstrate

  11 strokes

• 谐xié🔊

  (bound form) harmonious

  11 strokes

• 谑xuè🔊

  joy

  11 strokes

• 谒yè🔊

  to visit (a superior)

  11 strokes

• 谔è🔊

  honest speech

  11 strokes

• 谕yù🔊

  order (from above)

  11 strokes

• 谖xuān🔊

  to deceive

  11 strokes

• 谗chán🔊

  to slander

  11 strokes

• 谙ān🔊

  to be versed in

  11 strokes

• 谚yàn🔊

  proverb

  11 strokes

• 谛dì🔊

  to examine

  11 strokes

• 谝piǎn🔊

  to brag

  11 strokes

• 谞xū🔊

  (literary) ability and wisdom

  11 strokes

• 𫍯xián🔊

  to bring into accord

  11 strokes

• 𫍲xiǎo🔊

  small

  11 strokes

• 𬤊shì🔊

  to examine

  11 strokes

• 谢xiè🔊

  to thank

  12 strokes

• 注zhù🔊

  (bound form) to pour into; to flow into; to inject

  HSK 7

  12 strokes

• 谦qiān🔊

  modest

  12 strokes

• 詈lì🔊

  to curse

  12 strokes

• 詟zhé🔊

  to be frightened

  12 strokes

• 咏yǒng🔊

  to sing

  12 strokes

• 谟mó🔊

  plan

  12 strokes