Character Familiesleft / right

说shuō, shuì, yuè

to speak; to say; to explain (说明); to scold (数说); a theory; a literary genre (学说, 小说)

说 is to speak — to say, explain, or tell; read shuì in 游说, lobbying.

GF0025–2021 character list · 一级
One character pageAll readings and linked senses stay together.

left / right

ZDIC: 形声; the speech side carries the meaning, 兑 the sound.

left / right · 说

WHOLE CHARACTER

说shuō, shuì, yuè

to speak; to say; to explain (说明); to scold (数说); a theory; a literary genre (学说, 小说)

说 is to speak — to say, explain, or tell; read shuì in 游说, lobbying.

ZDIC: 形声; the speech side carries the meaning, 兑 the sound.

MEANING

讠yán

speech (from 言)

The simplified speech form; not a standalone page.

In 说: meaning Shown with its documented or clearly limited role.

SOUND

兑duì

to exchange; to cash

A standalone character; its historical sound role in 说 matches none of shuō's modern parts exactly.

In 说: sound Sound side per ZDIC: duì and shuō share neither initial, final, nor tone in modern speech — the link is historical.

shuōTone 1
  • to speak; to say
  • to explain (说明)
  • to scold (数说)
  • a theory; a literary genre (学说, 小说)
  • 说话shuōhuàto talk; to speak
  • 小说xiǎoshuōnovel
shuìTone 4in 游说, to lobby
  • to persuade (游说)
  • 游说yóushuìto lobby; to go about persuading
yuèTone 4classical; same as 悦
  • classical: same as 悦 (pleased)

No common modern word is offered for this reading; the dictionary sense remains in Sources.

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