How to Write 曰 (yuē) — Meaning “to say / speak (classical)”

Think of 曰 as a square mouth with a horizontal line for the tongue sticking out, ready to speak. The wide, flat shape reminds you it's a classical word for 'say.' You can also imagine Confucius's mouth forming this shape.

The stroke order is: left vertical, then top horizontal with right vertical turn (a single stroke), then middle horizontal, then bottom horizontal. The character should be wider than 日 (sun), with the inner horizontal line touching both sides. A common mistake is making it too tall or leaving gaps.

曰 is a wide box with one inner horizontal line, used in classical phrases like 子曰. 曱 is rare and appears in 曱甴 (cockroach); it has a vertical line down the center. 曲 is curved and means 'song' or 'bent,' with a more complex structure of multiple strokes inside.

Today, 曰 is mostly found in fixed classical quotations, especially 子曰 (the Master said) referring to Confucius. It is also used in the phrase 美其名曰 (to call it by the fine name of). You will see it in formal writing, historical texts, or when quoting ancient sayings, not in everyday conversation.

Common words containing 曰 include: 子曰 (zi yuē) — Confucius said; The Master said; 诗云子曰 (shī yún zi yuē) — Quoting the classics (The Odes say, the Master says); 美其名曰 (měi qí míng yuē) — to call it by the fine name of.