About
The character 谔, in its traditional form 諤, is a phono-semantic compound. Its semantic radical 言 (speech) indicates the meaning category, while the phonetic component 咢 provides the sound and suggests a sense of force or impact. The core meaning is to speak frankly and without reservation, often in the context of offering direct, candid advice or criticism to those in authority. Historically, its use has been specialized, appearing mainly in formal or literary contexts to describe the moral courage of speaking truth plainly.