Side-by-Side Comparison: 言 vs. 語 vs. 試 vs. 記
Every kanji below contains the Speech (言) component. Bold readings indicate the primary WaniKani reading:
| Kanji & Meaning | Readings (Bold = Primary) | Shibashi Visual Mnemonic Story | Top Compound Word |
|---|---|---|---|
| 言 (Say) | ON: げん, ごん KUN: い |
Genghis Khan, came back from the dead, just to say: “Gondola prices are evil !!” | 言語 (げんご) — language |
| 語 (Language) | ON: ご KUN: かた |
If Genghis Khan wants to talk about about overpriced gondola rides, he first needs to put down his kata-na and study the english language. | 英語 (えいご) — English language |
| 試 (Try) | ON: し KUN: こころ, ため |
She is trying to focus while a coconut robot is reading her wedding vows, and a tacy melody is playing... | 試し (ためし) — trial, test |
| 記 (Write Down) | ON: き KUN: しる |
When the king tells you how to sheer(u) sheep, don't just kneel, write down what you hear! | 記入 (きにゅう) — entry, filling in of forms |
How Each Kanji Uses the Speech (言) Visual Motif
1. 言 (Say) — Speech Radical (言) in Context
On’yomi: げん, ごん | Kun’yomi: い
Shibashi Visual Story: “Genghis Khan, came back from the dead, just to say: “Gondola prices are evil !!””
2. 語 (Language) — Speech Radical (言) in Context
On’yomi: ご | Kun’yomi: かた
Shibashi Visual Story: “If Genghis Khan wants to talk about about overpriced gondola rides, he first needs to put down his kata-na and study the english language.”
- 英語 (えいご): English language
- 物語 (ものがたり): tale, story, legend
- 語学 (ごがく): language study
- 語る (かたる): to talk, to tell, to recite
3. 試 (Try) — Speech Radical (言) in Context
On’yomi: し | Kun’yomi: こころ, ため
Shibashi Visual Story: “She is trying to focus while a coconut robot is reading her wedding vows, and a tacy melody is playing...”
4. 記 (Write Down) — Speech Radical (言) in Context
On’yomi: き | Kun’yomi: しる
Shibashi Visual Story: “When the king tells you how to sheer(u) sheep, don't just kneel, write down what you hear!”
Essential Japanese Vocabulary Words Built from the Speech (言) Family
Once you can recognize 言 (Say), 語 (Language), 試 (Try), 記 (Write Down) by their shared Speech (言) visual motif, practice reading them inside these high-frequency Japanese words from the Shibashi app:
| Japanese Word | Hiragana Reading | English Meaning | JLPT Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 言語 | げんご | language | JLPT |
| 言う | いう | to say | JLPT |
| 言わば | いわば | so to speak | JLPT |
| 英語 | えいご | English language | JLPT |
| 物語 | ものがたり | tale, story, legend | JLPT |
| 語学 | ごがく | language study | JLPT |
| 語る | かたる | to talk, to tell, to recite | JLPT |
| 試し | ためし | trial, test | JLPT |
| 試す | ためす | to attempt, to test | JLPT |
| 記入 | きにゅう | entry, filling in of forms | JLPT |