说话
说speak话words=speak or talk
说
说 (shuō) Chinese Character: to speak, to say
讠 marks words: 说 means to say them aloud.
Practice 说 in the interactive lessonChinese character story: Putting Words into Speech
说 (shuō) means “to speak” or “to say.” The speech component 讠 appears on the left. Use 说中文, “speak Chinese,” and 他说…, “he says….” When naming a language, 说 often works like English “speak.”
🧩 Word buildingSee what every part contributes
Chinese words often combine short meaning clues. Fixed expressions are clearly marked so you do not translate them too literally.
听说
听hear说say=hear that; be told
Chinese character origin and etymology
说 is documented as a character built from meaningful or phonetic parts. Its earlier written forms gradually became the regular-script shape used today.
In modern simplified Chinese, 说 is written with 9 strokes. This lesson separates documented shape history from the memory story so learners do not mistake a mnemonic for a historical claim. 说 contains 讠 and 兑. These parts act like clues: a component may suggest a meaning category, a pronunciation, or simply preserve part of the character's historical structure.
Chinese character stroke order and structure
说 is written with 9 strokes. Learn the complete stroke sequence in the interactive lesson, then write the character from memory before checking your answer.
- 讠 — speech, words
- 兑 — phonetic component
Common usage and sentence patterns
The examples below show 说 in complete beginner-friendly sentences. Read each sentence aloud, notice where the character appears, and then replace one noun or number to create a new sentence of your own.
我会说中文。
I can speak Chinese.
请慢一点说。
Please speak a little more slowly.
他说今天不来。
He says he is not coming today.
Learning tips for 说
Learn the reading as one unit: shuō, with the first tone: high and level. Avoid memorizing the letters without the tone mark. Say the syllable, recall the English meaning “to speak, to say,” and write the 9 strokes from memory.
Because 说 contains reusable components, identify those clues before memorizing the whole shape. Compare it with 话 (huà, speech — 说话 means “to talk”); 听 (tīng, to listen); 言 (yán, speech — source of 讠). Similar characters are easier to remember when their different parts and meanings are studied side by side.
Quick review checklist
- Can you recognize 说 without pinyin?
- Can you say shuō with the correct tone and explain “to speak, to say”?
- Can you write all 9 strokes in order?
- Can you use 说 in one short sentence?
Related characters
Learn 说 in a themed collection
Compare this character with related beginner words. A themed path helps you notice useful pairs, word-building patterns, and everyday contexts.
Continue learning Chinese characters
Use the Chinese radicals and components guide to understand reusable parts, the stroke order guide to improve handwriting, and the HSK 1 character overview to choose your next beginner lesson.
Sources and editorial note
HanziStory separates documented character history from modern memory stories. Historical-form images are shown only when a matching source file is available; missing stages are skipped rather than invented. Stroke practice uses HanziWriter data.
Last updated: August 12, 2026. Read our sources, editorial method, and correction policy.