📖 Meaning & Origin
The 言 radical represents speech and words — the mouth speaking with vibrations of sound. It appears in an enormous number of kanji related to language, communication, saying, reading, and writing.
📚 Kanji by JLPT Level
💡 Teacher's Memory Tip
A mouth at the top (口) with sound waves below — speech radiating outward. Any kanji with 言 or 訁 involves language and communication.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
The 言 radical means 'speech,' 'words,' or 'language.' It is one of the most productive radicals in Japanese — dozens of common kanji are built on it.
N5 kanji with 言/訁: 言 (say/words), 語 (language — speech + I), 話 (talk/story — speech + tongue), 読 (read — speech + sell = sharing meaning through text).
A mouth with waves of sound coming out — that's 言. Every kanji with 言 or its compact version 訁 involves talking, writing, or language.
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