Character · Mind and speech
言
いう iuいわぬ iwanuいえば iebaふげん fugen
word, speech
Composition
Origin
A mouth (口) topped by strokes showing what issues from it; the upper part is still debated: speech.
In the thoughts
- 言うiuto say
- 言わぬiwanunot saying
- 言えばiebaonce spoken
- 不言fugenwithout words
- 言の葉koto no haleaves of words
Proverbs carrying this character
- 057 目は口ほどに物を言う The eyes speak as much as the mouth.
- 059 言わぬが花 Not saying is the flower.
- 107 物言えば唇寒し秋の風 As soon as words are spoken, the lips feel cold — autumn wind.
- 130 不言実行 Act without announcing.
- 290 やまとうたは、人の心を種として、万の言の葉とぞなれりける Japanese poetry has the human heart as its seed, from which grow myriad leaves of words.