Definitions

shuō (verb) to speak; to say; to tell
shuō (verb) to explain
shuì (verb) to persuade

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "说", with its traditional form 說, is structured as a phono-semantic compound incorporating the semantic component 言, which signifies speech, and the phonetic component 兌, indicating its pronunciation. Originally centered on verbal acts such as speaking or explaining, its application gradually widened to encompass persuasive discourse, the articulation of ideas, and later, more abstract notions like theories or doctrines, as seen in compounds such as 学说. The simplified form 说 preserves the speech radical while streamlining the phonetic element to 兑, reflecting a modification in graphical composition that aligns with broader patterns of character simplification. This structural shift occurred alongside semantic expansion, allowing the character to acquire varied meanings including chastisement or instruction, depending on contextual cues within linguistic usage.

Example Sentences Hide

我会中文。

Wǒ huì shuō Zhōngwén.

I can speak Chinese.

她常谢谢。

Tā cháng shuō xièxie.

She often says thank you.

请你清楚。

Qǐng nǐ shuō qīngchu.

Please speak clearly.

他累了。

Tā shuō tā lèi le.

He said he is tired.

爸爸不要玩手机。

Bàba shuō búyào wán shǒujī.

Dad said don't play with the mobile phone.

老师明天考试。

Lǎoshī shuō míngtiān kǎoshì.

The teacher said there is an exam tomorrow.

我们学习的问题吧。

Wǒmen shuōshuō xuéxí de wèntí ba.

Let's talk about the problem of studying.

话的方式很有趣。

Tā shuōhuà de fāngshì hěn yǒuqù.

His way of speaking is very interesting.