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| 讲 [2025/08/13 03:02] – created xiaoer | 讲 [Unknown date] (current) – removed - external edit (Unknown date) 127.0.0.1 |
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| ====== jiǎng: 讲 - To Speak, To Say, To Explain, To Negotiate ====== | |
| ===== Quick Summary ===== | |
| * **Keywords:** 讲, jiǎng, Chinese verb for speak, how to say explain in Chinese, tell a story in Chinese, negotiate in Chinese, bargain in Chinese, 讲价, 讲故事, 讲话, 讲究, learn Chinese verb. | |
| * **Summary:** Learn the essential Chinese verb **讲 (jiǎng)**, a word that goes far beyond just "to speak." This page breaks down how to use **讲** to tell a story (讲故事), explain a concept, give a lecture (讲话), and even negotiate a price (讲价). Discover its cultural significance and avoid common mistakes to sound more like a native speaker. | |
| ===== Core Meaning ===== | |
| * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** jiǎng | |
| * **Part of Speech:** Verb | |
| * **HSK Level:** HSK 2 | |
| * **Concise Definition:** To speak, say, explain, tell, or negotiate. | |
| * **In a Nutshell:** While a beginner might learn an early synonym like 说 (shuō) for "to say," **讲 (jiǎng)** implies a more structured or detailed form of speech. Think of it as "to expound," "to narrate," or "to lecture on." If you're telling a story, explaining a problem, or bargaining at a market, **讲 (jiǎng)** is the verb you need. It elevates the simple act of speaking to a more purposeful act of communication. | |
| ===== Character Breakdown ===== | |
| * **讲 (jiǎng):** This is a phono-semantic compound character, which means it has one part for meaning and one part for sound. | |
| * **Radical 讠(yán):** This is the "speech" radical, derived from the character 言 (yán). Whenever you see this on the left side of a character, it almost always relates to words, language, or speaking. | |
| * **Phonetic Component 冓 (gòu):** This part provides the sound for **讲 (jiǎng)**. On its own, 冓 depicts interlocking structures, which beautifully complements the meaning radical. | |
| * **Combined Meaning:** You can think of **讲** as "structured (冓) speech (讠)." This is why it's used for coherent, planned communication like stories, lectures, and explanations, rather than just casual utterances. | |
| ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== | |
| * **The Art of Elucidation:** In Chinese culture, there is a high value placed on clear teaching and storytelling. **讲 (jiǎng)** is the verb at the heart of this. The classic image is of a 老师 (lǎoshī - teacher) **讲课 (jiǎngkè - giving a lecture)** or a grandparent **讲故事 (jiǎng gùshi - telling a story)**. The word implies a transfer of knowledge, wisdom, or narrative from one person to another, which is a cornerstone of a society that values heritage and education. | |
| * **讲 vs. "To Talk":** In English, "to talk" can be very casual. In Chinese, while you can **谈 (tán)** or **聊天 (liáotiān)** casually, **讲** often carries more weight. It's less about a two-way chat and more about a one-way explanation or narration. | |
| * **讲究 (jiǎngjiu) - The Value of "Being Particular":** The word **讲究 (jiǎngjiu)**, which literally means "to speak of seeking," is a deeply cultural concept. It means "to be particular about," "to be meticulous," or "to value refinement." For example, someone can be **讲究** about the tea they drink, the clothes they wear, or the way they arrange their home. This reflects a cultural appreciation for detail, quality, and aesthetics—things that are "worth speaking about" and paying attention to. | |
| ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== | |
| **讲 (jiǎng)** is an incredibly versatile and common verb in daily life. | |
| * **Narrating and Lecturing:** This is its most classic use. | |
| * `讲故事 (jiǎng gùshi)` - to tell a story | |
| * `讲笑话 (jiǎng xiàohuà)` - to tell a joke | |
| * `讲课 (jiǎng kè)` - to give a lesson/lecture | |
| * `讲话 (jiǎng huà)` - to give a speech (more formal than 说话 shuōhuà) | |
| * **Explaining and Clarifying:** This is extremely common in everyday requests. | |
| * `你给我讲一下。(Nǐ gěi wǒ jiǎng yīxià.)` - "Explain it to me for a moment." This is a key phrase for any learner. | |
| * **Negotiating and Bargaining:** This is a must-know for anyone shopping at a Chinese market. | |
| * `讲价 (jiǎng jià)` - to bargain the price. It's a set phrase. | |
| * `这个价格可以讲吗？ (Zhège jiàgé kěyǐ jiǎng ma?)` - "Can this price be negotiated?" | |
| * **Stressing a Point or Condition:** **讲** can also mean to emphasize or be particular about an abstract concept. | |
| * `我们公司很讲效率。(Wǒmen gōngsī hěn jiǎng xiàolǜ.)` - "Our company really stresses efficiency." | |
| * `做人要讲信用。(Zuòrén yào jiǎng xìnyòng.)` - "When conducting yourself, you must value credibility." | |
| ===== Example Sentences ===== | |
| * **Example 1:** | |
| * 老师正在给学生们**讲**一个历史故事。 | |
| * Pinyin: Lǎoshī zhèngzài gěi xuéshēngmen **jiǎng** yīgè lìshǐ gùshi. | |
| * English: The teacher is telling the students a history story. | |
| * Analysis: This is a classic use of **讲** for narration. It's more vivid and appropriate than 说 (shuō) here. | |
| * **Example 2:** | |
| * 在中国的很多市场，你都可以**讲**价。 | |
| * Pinyin: Zài Zhōngguó de hěnduō shìchǎng, nǐ dōu kěyǐ **jiǎng** jià. | |
| * English: In many markets in China, you can bargain. | |
| * Analysis: Highlights the set phrase **讲价 (jiǎngjià)**. This is a highly practical and non-negotiable (pun intended) vocabulary item. | |
| * **Example 3:** | |
| * 这个问题有点复杂，你能不能给我**讲**清楚？ | |
| * Pinyin: Zhège wèntí yǒudiǎn fùzá, nǐ néng bùnéng gěi wǒ **jiǎng** qīngchu? | |
| * English: This problem is a bit complicated, can you explain it to me clearly? | |
| * Analysis: **讲清楚 (jiǎng qīngchu)** means "to explain clearly." This shows **讲** being used to request a detailed explanation. | |
| * **Example 4:** | |
| * 你这个人怎么不**讲**道理啊？ | |
| * Pinyin: Nǐ zhège rén zěnme bù **jiǎng** dàolǐ a? | |
| * English: How can you be so unreasonable? | |
| * Analysis: A very common, colloquial phrase. **讲道理 (jiǎng dàolǐ)** literally means "to speak reason/logic." Not doing so means you're being unreasonable. | |
| * **Example 5:** | |
| * 明天开会，老板要**讲**话。 | |
| * Pinyin: Míngtiān kāihuì, lǎobǎn yào **jiǎng**huà. | |
| * English: The boss is going to give a speech at the meeting tomorrow. | |
| * Analysis: **讲话 (jiǎnghuà)** refers to a formal speech or address, distinct from the casual act of **说话 (shuōhuà)**, "to talk." | |
| * **Example 6:** | |
| * 他做事很认真，凡事都**讲**原则。 | |
| * Pinyin: Tā zuòshì hěn rènzhēn, fánshì dōu **jiǎng** yuánzé. | |
| * English: He is very serious in his work and adheres to principles in everything he does. | |
| * Analysis: This shows the abstract meaning of **讲** as "to stress" or "to be particular about." Here, he stresses principles. | |
| * **Example 7:** | |
| * 别哭了，我给你**讲**个笑话吧。 | |
| * Pinyin: Bié kū le, wǒ gěi nǐ **jiǎng** ge xiàohuà ba. | |
| * English: Don't cry, let me tell you a joke. | |
| * Analysis: Demonstrates the fixed phrase **讲笑话 (jiǎng xiàohuà)**, to tell a joke. | |
| * **Example 8:** | |
| * 我们先**讲**好条件，再开始合作。 | |
| * Pinyin: Wǒmen xiān **jiǎng** hǎo tiáojiàn, zài kāishǐ hézuò. | |
| * English: Let's negotiate the terms first, then we can start cooperating. | |
| * Analysis: Here, **讲好 (jiǎng hǎo)** means to come to an agreement through discussion or negotiation. It implies reaching a satisfactory conclusion. | |
| * **Example 9:** | |
| * 他对吃非常**讲**究，只去高档餐厅。 | |
| * Pinyin: Tā duì chī fēicháng **jiǎng**jiu, zhǐ qù gāodàng cāntīng. | |
| * English: He is very particular about food and only goes to high-end restaurants. | |
| * Analysis: Uses the related compound **讲究 (jiǎngjiu)** to show the cultural concept of being meticulous or refined about something. | |
| * **Example 10:** | |
| * 我听不懂，请你用简单的中文再**讲**一遍。 | |
| * Pinyin: Wǒ tīng bù dǒng, qǐng nǐ yòng jiǎndān de Zhōngwén zài **jiǎng** yībiàn. | |
| * English: I don't understand, please explain it again in simple Chinese. | |
| * Analysis: A very useful sentence for a learner. **讲一遍 (jiǎng yībiàn)** means "to explain it one more time." | |
| ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== | |
| * **讲 (jiǎng) vs. 说 (shuō):** This is the most common point of confusion. | |
| * **说 (shuō):** The default, general verb for "to say" or "to speak." Use it for quoting someone, making a simple statement, or for the general act of talking. | |
| * Correct: `他说他累了。(Tā shuō tā lèi le.)` - He said he was tired. | |
| * Awkward: `他讲他累了。` (This sounds overly formal, as if he gave a lecture about being tired). | |
| * **讲 (jiǎng):** Use for structured, one-way communication that involves detail, like a story, a lecture, an explanation, or a joke. | |
| * Correct: `他给我讲了一个故事。(Tā gěi wǒ jiǎng le yí ge gùshi.)` - He told me a story. | |
| * **讲 (jiǎng) vs. 告诉 (gàosu):** | |
| * **告诉 (gàosu):** "To tell" someone a piece of information. The focus is on the transmission of a fact. It almost always takes an indirect object (telling *someone*). | |
| * `他告诉我他的名字。(Tā gàosu wǒ tā de míngzi.)` - He told me his name. | |
| * **讲 (jiǎng):** "To tell" a narrative. The focus is on the story or explanation itself. | |
| * `他给我讲了他的故事。(Tā gěi wǒ jiǎng le tā de gùshi.)` - He told me his life story. | |
| * **Incorrect Collocations:** A learner might incorrectly create their own phrases. | |
| * Incorrect: `我想说价。 (Wǒ xiǎng shuō jià.)` | |
| * Correct: `我想讲价。 (Wǒ xiǎng jiǎngjià.)` - Bargaining is always **讲价**. | |
| ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== | |
| * [[说话]] (shuōhuà) - To speak, to talk. Refers to the general act of producing speech. **讲** is a specific, structured type of **说话**. | |
| * [[告诉]] (gàosu) - To tell, to inform. Focuses on conveying a specific piece of information to someone. | |
| * [[谈]] (tán) - To talk over, to discuss, to chat. Implies a two-way conversation or negotiation. | |
| * [[讲座]] (jiǎngzuò) - A lecture, a seminar. A noun form directly related to **讲**, referring to a formal talk. | |
| * [[演讲]] (yǎnjiǎng) - A speech, a public address. A very formal type of prepared talk. | |
| * [[讲价]] (jiǎngjià) - To bargain, to haggle. A set phrase and an essential skill for using **讲**. | |
| * [[讲究]] (jiǎngjiu) - To be particular about, meticulous. An adjective or verb showing a culturally important extension of **讲**. | |
| * [[讲解]] (jiǎngjiě) - To explain, to interpret. A more formal verb for explaining something in detail, often used in educational or museum contexts. | |