说shuō
to speak, to say; to scold, to upbraid. 9 strokes, radical 讠, first met in HSK 2.
What 说 is made of
讠 (yán, words) and 兑 (duì, cash).
讠 carries the meaning — speech — and 兑 carries the sound.
How to write 说
Strokes 1–2 write 讠, then strokes 3–9 write 兑.
Free, with no account: the app draws each stroke, then you write it and it says which stroke went wrong.
Print a 米字格 practice sheet for 说
Words that use 说
| 说明 | to explain 指把道理讲清楚 他耐心说明操作步骤。He patiently explains the operating steps. Lesson 69, 司机 · 晨钟暮鼓与格物穷理 · Daily Rhythms & Inquiry into Nature |
| 听说 | to hear (that), it is said 指听别人说起某件事 听说雨后空气很清新。I heard the air is very fresh after rain. Lesson 73, 体育馆 · 霁月光风与民康物阜 · Harmonious Skies & Prosperous Seasons |
| 小说 | novel 指用文字讲述虚构故事的作品 他潜心品读古典小说。He devoted himself to reading classic novels. Lesson 82, 小时候 · 冰清玉洁与自强不息 · Pure Aspiration, Sincere Faith & Endless Endeavor |
| 传说 | a legend 一代代口头留下来的故事 村里流传着一个古老的传说。An old legend still circulates around the village. Lesson 167, 远古神话与岁月传说 · 历史传说与文学叙事 · History, Legends & Literary Expression |
| 据说 | it is said that 听别人讲的，不确定是不是真的 据说这座老宅有上百年历史。reportedly, this old house is over a hundred years old. Lesson 168, 文学写作与名作创作 · 历史传说与文学叙事 · History, Legends & Literary Expression |
| 说服 | to persuade 用道理让别人同意自己的想法 他用严密逻辑成功说服了听众。With rigorous logic he managed to persuade the audience. Lesson 338, 登台明辨与哲思长青 · 登台论道与绿意怡然 · Thoughtful Discourse & Green Living |
| 说法 | claim, statement, way of putting it 指对某事所做的陈述或解释 专家驳斥了不科学说法。The expert refuted the unscientific claim. Lesson 487, 水利安澜 · 安居乐业与厚积薄发 · Serene Industry & Striving Resilience |
| 解说 | to explain, commentate 指对内容进行讲解或说明 多位杰出学者登台进行了精彩解说。Distinguished scholars took the stage to give brilliant commentary. Lesson 601, 卓越求精 · 明辨求是与卓越笃行 · Rigorous Discernment, Discipline & Excellence |
| 再说 | to say a few more words 指话说完之后再补充 司机说再说几句话就到站了。The driver said a few more words and they would be there. Lesson 682, 长途运材 · 守正出新与光耀千秋 · Preserving Heritage & Pioneering Innovations |
| 比如说 | namely, that is to say 举出例子来进一步说明 队员需要带齐装备，比如说厚实的外套。Team members need to bring full gear — that is to say, a thick coat. Lesson 3, 做笔记 · 温情相伴与日夕起居 · Affection, Campus Routine & Daily Vitality |
and 7 more in the catalogue.
Characters that share the sound part 兑
Written with the same phonetic, so their readings tend to rhyme with each other.
More characters with the radical 讠
All 49 of them, and what the radical means, on the 言 radical page.