说 simplified
說 traditional
shuō
to speak · to say · to explain · to persuade · to scold
部首 bùshǒu · 讠yán speech (simp.) / 言 (trad.) 9 笔画 bǐhuà strokes HSK 1 tone 1 · shuō
笔顺 bǐshùn · Stroke order

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字源 zìyuán Etymology & Structure
字源洞见 zìyuán dòngjiàn · Etymological Insight

Traditional form: 說 = 言 yán (speech radical — a mouth with a horizontal line above, representing words emanating) + 兑 duì (phonetic and semantic: to exchange, to convert; a mouth open with joy). The composition suggests: speech that converts or pleases — words that land, that persuade, that bring delight.

The simplified form replaces 言 with the abbreviated speech radical 讠, but 兑 remains. The 言 radical appears across the speech-and-thought character family: 话 huà (spoken words), 语 yǔ (language), 谢 xiè (to thank), 请 qǐng (to invite/request), 读 dú (to read aloud).

说 covers an unusually wide semantic range: to say (我说 I say), to speak a language (说中文), to explain (说清楚 explain clearly), to scold (被妈妈说了一顿 was scolded by mom), and in its classical readings, to persuade (游说 shuì) and to be pleased (悦 yuè). One character, five conceptual domains.

三种读音 sān zhǒng dúyīn Three Readings: shuō / shuì / yuè
读音分工 dúyīn fēngōng · Reading Split shuō (tone 1) → to speak, to say, to explain (everyday use)
shuì (tone 4) → to persuade (political/diplomatic: 游说 yóushuì = to lobby, to canvass)
yuè (tone 4) → to be pleased (classical only: 学而时习之，不亦说乎 — Analects opening line)
学者注 · Scholar Note The yuè reading is famous from the Analects: 学而时习之，不亦说乎 — "To learn and regularly practice — is this not a pleasure?" Here 说 = 悦 yuè (delight). Classical texts use 说 for both shuō and yuè. The shuì reading (persuade) appears in Warring States political texts where itinerant persuaders (游说家) sold their counsel to rival states — the original lobbyists.
言说动词 yánshuō dòngcí Speech Verbs — Saying and Telling
说话 shuōhuà to speak; to talk; to say something
V 动词 dòngcí
说 shuō + 话 huà (spoken words; speech). The act of speaking in general — not the content but the activity. 会说话 = can speak / is good with words. 说话算数 = one's word is reliable (lit. speech-counts).
小孩子一岁开始说话。
Xiǎo háizi yī suì kāishǐ shuōhuà.
Small children start talking at age one.
他很会说话，让人舒服。
Tā hěn huì shuōhuà, ràng rén shūfu.
He's very good with words — he puts people at ease.
听说 tīng shuō I heard that; it is said that
V 动词 dòngcí
听 tīng (to hear) + 说 shuō (speech). "I heard it said that…" — introduces hearsay or reported information. Softens a claim by flagging it as secondhand. Extremely common in conversation.
听说他要去北京了。
Tīng shuō tā yào qù Běijīng le.
I heard he's going to Beijing.
说明 shuōmíng to explain; to illustrate; explanation; instructions
V/N 动名词
说 shuō + 明 míng (clear, bright). To make something clear through speech. As a noun: 说明书 shuōmíngshū = instruction manual. As a verb: 这说明了… = "this demonstrates/shows that…"
这说明他们之间有问题。
Zhè shuōmíng tāmen zhījiān yǒu wèntí.
This shows there is a problem between them.
说服与辩论 shuōfú yǔ biànlùn Persuasion & Argumentation
说服 shuōfú to persuade; to convince
V 动词 dòngcí
说 shuō + 服 fú (to submit; to be convinced; to be at someone's service). To speak until someone submits — to persuade successfully. The complement 服 marks the result: the persuasion worked.
他花了一个小时才说服她。
Tā huā le yī gè xiǎoshí cái shuōfú tā.
It took him an hour to convince her.
说不定 shuō bu dìng maybe; hard to say; possibly
Expr 表达 biǎodá
说 shuō + 不定 (cannot be fixed/determined). "Cannot be stated with certainty" — maybe, possibly. One of the most natural hedges in spoken Mandarin. More casual and spoken than 也许 yěxǔ or 可能 kěnéng.
说不定他已经到了。
Shuō bu dìng tā yǐjīng dào le.
Maybe he's already arrived.
核心构词 héxīn gòucí Key 说 Compounds
字 Zì 拼音 Pīnyīn 英文 Yīngwén
小说xiǎoshuōnovel; fiction (lit. small-talk)
说法shuōfǎway of saying; statement; claim
说实话shuō shíhuàto tell the truth; honestly speaking
传说chuánshuōlegend; it is said; folklore
演说yǎnshuōto give a speech; an oration
学说xuéshuōdoctrine; theory; school of thought
游说yóushuìto lobby; to canvass (tone 4 reading)
成语 chéngyǔ Idioms & Set Phrases
说一不二 shuō yī bù èr one's word is final — what is said once stands without revision Lit: say-one-not-two. A person of absolute authority whose word is not open to revision or negotiation. Can be a compliment (decisive) or a criticism (inflexible) depending on context.
口是心非 kǒu shì xīn fēi the mouth says yes but the heart says no — saying one thing while thinking another Lit: mouth-is-yes heart-is-no. Hypocrisy or insincerity. The failure of 说 to match 心 (speech to align with heart) — a violation of Confucian authenticity (诚 chéng).
有口难言 yǒu kǒu nán yán having a mouth but unable to speak — in a position where one cannot explain oneself The frustration of having the means to speak but being unable to — because of social constraints, grief, or incriminating circumstances. One of the most vivid expressions for the experience of being misunderstood with no way to clear one's name.
相邻词汇 xiānglín cíhuì Adjacent Vocabulary
话huàspeech; words; what is said 讲jiǎngto speak; to explain; to lecture 告诉gàosuto tell; to inform 表达biǎodáto express; expression 解释jiěshìto explain; explanation 谈tánto talk; to discuss (reciprocal) 小说xiǎoshuōnovel; fiction 听说tīng shuōI heard that; reportedly 言yánword; speech (formal/classical)