言 — Say
Tap any reading below to hear native Japanese pronunciation
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Start 7-Day Free Trial →Visual Radical Families for 言 (Say)
These kanjis share the same recurring visual building block in Shibashi's Japanese kanji mnemonics. Tap any small tile to compare its story:
Visually Similar Lookalike Kanji
Learners often mix up 言 (Say) with these lookalike characters. Tap a tile to see how their visual mnemonics differ:
5-Second Distinction Rule (言 (Say) vs 話 (Talk) vs 読 (Read) vs 買 (Buy)): 言 (sound waves rising from a mouth = Say) • 話 (words 言 + singing cat's tongue 舌 = Talk) • 読 (words 言 + sell 売 = Read) • 買 (net 罒 + shell money 貝 = Buy).
Common Japanese Words with 言 (Say)
Tap any word below to hear native Japanese pronunciation and see how the constituent kanjis combine:
What you say (言) using a specific language (語) is a language.
This kanji literally means to say (言).
If you were to say (言) it a certain way, it's like saying so to speak.
Frequently Asked Questions About 言 (Say)
What is the best kanji mnemonic for 言 (Say)?
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The Shibashi Japanese kanji mnemonic for 言 ("Say", read as げん) is: Genghis (げん) Khan, came back from the dead, just to say: “Gondola (ごん) prices are evil (い)!!” Using visual kanji mnemonics that combine the character's radicals, meaning, and reading into a single illustrated scene makes 言 effortless to recall.
What does the kanji 言 mean and how is it read in Japanese?
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The Japanese kanji 言 means "Say". Its primary reading is げん (On'yomi: げん, ごん; Kun'yomi: い). Our Japanese kanji mnemonics tie the reading directly into the visual story so you remember both the meaning and pronunciation together.
What are common Japanese words and compounds with 言?
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Essential Japanese vocabulary words containing 言 include: 言語 (げんご - language), 言う (いう - to say), 言わば (いわば - so to speak).
How do Japanese kanji mnemonics help you remember 言 (Say) faster?
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Traditional rote stroke repetition fades quickly. Shibashi's Japanese kanji mnemonics turn 言 (Say) and its shared visual radical family into memorable characters and objects, paired with smart Spaced Repetition (SRS) and native audio so the memory sticks permanently.