make a speech ⇒ 工会主席的发言很精彩。 Gōnghuì zhǔxí de fāyán hěn jīngcǎi. → The chairman of the trade union made a wonderful speech. ⇒ 他要在明天的会上发言。 Tā yào zài míngtiān de huì shang fāyán. → He is going to speak at the meeting tomorrow.
声言
declare
婉言
tactful language ⇒ 我婉言拒绝了他的邀请。 Wǒ wǎnyán jùjuéle tā de yāoqǐng. → I tactfully refused his invitation.
宣言
declaration
寓言
fable
常言
saying
序言
foreword
引言
foreword
怨言
complaint
扬言
( 贬 ) spread it about ( pt , pp spread ) ⇒ 他扬言要打断陶陶的腿。 Tā yángyán yào dǎduàn Táotáo de tuǐ. → He was spreading it about that he was going to break Taotao's legs.
断言
assert
方言
dialect
格言
maxim
流言
gossip
留言
leave a message ( pt , pp left )
直言
speak bluntly ( pt spoke ) , pp spoken ⇒ 直言不讳 zhí yán bùhuì → call a spade a spade
箴言
advice
美言
put in a good word for ( pt , pp put )
言论
speech ⇒ 言论自由 yánlùn zìyóu → freedom of speech
言语
language
言谈
what one says ⇒ 从言谈中，我了解了他的过去。 Cóng yántán zhōng, wǒ liǎojiěle tā de guòqù. → From what he said, I learned a lot about his past.
言辞
wording
誓言
oath
讳言
be afraid to speak up
证言
verbal evidence
语言
language
诺言
promise
谎言
lie
谗言
slander
谣言
hearsay
赠言
advice
预言
predict ⇒ 他的预言果然变成了现实。 Tā de yùyán guǒrán biànchéngle xiànshí. → It turned out that his prophecy came true.
食言
break a promise ( pt broke ) , pp broken
代言人
spokesperson
发言人
spokesperson ( pl spokespersons )
言情片
romantic film ( 英 ) 或 movie ( 美 )
三言两语
in a few words ⇒ 三言两语解释不清。 Sān yán liǎng yǔ jiěshì bù qīng. → It's not possible to explain in a few words.
仗义执言
speak out from a sense of justice
冷言冷语
make sarcastic comments
危言耸听
scare story
只言片语
a few words
名正言顺
legitimate
哑口无言
be reduced to silence ⇒ 他被质问得哑口无言。 Tā bèi zhìwèn de yǎ kǒu wú yán. → He was reduced to silence by the interrogation.
大言不惭
brag shamelessly
察言观色
read people ⇒ 他善于察言观色, 讨好上司。 Tā shànyú chá yán guān sè, tǎohǎo shàngsi. → He's very good at reading people and ingratiating himself with his superiors.
总而言之
in brief
溢于言表
an outpouring of emotion
片言只语
just a few words ⇒ 你要经常给我发电邮,哪怕片言只语也好。 Nǐ yào jīngcháng gěi wǒ fā diànyóu, nǎpà piàn yán zhī yǔ yě hǎo. → You should e-mail me often — just a few words will do.
甜言蜜语
honeyed words ⇒ 不要为甜言蜜语所迷惑。 Bùyào wèi tián yán mìyǔ suǒ míhuò. → Don't be taken in by honeyed words.