About
The character for "speech" or "words", now written as 话 in its simplified form, originates from the traditional character 話, which is composed of the semantic component 言 (speech) combined with the phonetic component 舌 (tongue). Its earliest core meaning pertained to spoken language and verbal expression, specifically "speech" or "words", and it also functioned as a verb meaning "to tell" or "to talk about" in classical texts. Over time, its primary nominal usage expanded to encompass broader concepts of talk, conversation, and even a spoken narrative or story, while its verbal usage became less common in modern vernacular. The structural change from 話 to 话 involved the simplification of the radical from 言 to 讠, a common pattern for characters related to speech, while the 舌 component was retained.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
他说了很多话。
你说的话是真的吗？
这句话是什么意思？
别跟我说客气话。
我们找个时间好好说说话。
电话里传来他焦急的话语。
你能把心里话告诉我吗？
对于此事，官方尚未公开发表讲话。