Meaning
说 is one of the most fundamental verbs in Mandarin, meaning to say, speak, or talk. It's used whenever you want to express verbal communication, whether making statements, having conversations, or telling someone something. This character appears in countless everyday expressions and is essential for basic communication.
Usage
说 is extremely versatile and appears in many common patterns like 说话 (to speak/talk), 说中文 (to speak Chinese), and 听说 (to hear that). It can take direct objects (说什么 - say what) or be followed by clause structures. In casual speech, it's often combined with other verbs to create compound expressions.
Examples
- 01你在说什么？?What are you saying?
- 02他说他明天来。.He says he'll come tomorrow.
Common collocations
- 说话to speak, to talk
- 说中文to speak Chinese
- 听说to hear that, it is said
- 说实话to tell the truth
Antonyms
Origin
The traditional form 說 combines the speech radical 言 (words/speech) with 兌 (to exchange), suggesting the exchange of words. The simplified form 说 uses 讠(speech radical) with 兑.