Chinese word

言辞

Pronunciation

Pinyinyán cí

Meaning

  • nounwording

Example

请注意你的言辞。qǐng zhù yì nǐ de yán cí

Please watch your wording.

Illustration for 言辞 (wording)

More examples

面对批评，她用婉转的言辞缓和了气氛。miàn duì pī píng tā yòng wán zhuǎn de yán cí huǎn hé le qì fēn

Facing criticism, she used tactful wording to ease the atmosphere.

Core concept

The verbal form of a thought, shaped by word choice, tone, and politeness.

Common phrases

  • 婉转的言辞wán zhuǎn de yán cí

    tactful wording

  • 直率的言辞zhí shuài de yán cí

    straightforward wording

Similar words

措辞cuò cí: The deliberate choice and arrangement of words in speech or writing.
说法shuō fǎ: A particular way of putting an idea into words.
语气yǔ qì: The tone or manner conveyed by speech or writing.

Definition in Chinese

常用于书面或正式场合，指说话或写作时的措辞与表达风格，包含词句的选择、语气与礼貌等方面的考量。cháng yòng yú shū miàn huò zhèng shì chǎng hé zhǐ shuō huà huò xiě zuò shí de cuò cí yǔ biǎo dá fēng gé bāo hán cí jù de xuǎn zé yǔ qì yǔ lǐ mào děng fāng miàn de kǎo liáng

Word origin

言 (yán, "speech") + 辞 (cí, "words or phrasing") forms a compound focused on the verbal form chosen to express a thought.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Chinese, this noun sounds formal and often evaluates how well words are chosen, so it fits careful public or written language better than casual chat.

Other meanings

  • wordsnoun
  • expressionnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word