How to Write 说 (shuì/shuō) — Meaning “to speak”

Imagine a person (讠) saying “I’ll trade you something” (兑 – which looks like an exchange of items). So 说 is like trading words in a conversation. This helps you connect the speech radical with the idea of exchanging words.

Start with the speech radical 讠: first write a dot, then a diagonal stroke up and a hook. Then on the right, write the top part of 兑 (a dot and a scoop), followed by the left and right parts of 口, and finally the child radical 儿 (two strokes). Make sure the right side is not too wide – keep it balanced with the left radical.

说 (shuō/shuì) means “to speak” and uses the right part 兑 (exchange). 证 (zhèng) means “to prove” and has 正 (correct/straight) on the right, suggesting confirming truth. 诂 (gǔ) means “to explain ancient texts” and uses 古 (ancient) on the right. Focus on the right-side components: 兑, 正, and 古 are visually distinct.

说 is one of the most common verbs for “to speak” in Chinese, as in 说话 (talk) and 说明 (explain). It also has the special pronunciation shuì in 游说 (to lobby/persuade), which is used in political or business contexts. Culturally, 说 is neutral and polite – you can use it in both casual and formal settings.

Common words containing 说 include: 说话 (shuō huà) — to talk; 说明 (shuō míng) — to explain; 游说 (yóu shuì) — To lobby; to persuade..