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谓 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
谓wèisurname Weiv, 11 strokes, radical 讠, rank #44609, Very Hard
谓wèito speakv, 11 strokes, radical 讠, rank #44609, Very Hard
谓wèito sayv, 11 strokes, radical 讠, rank #44609, Very Hard
谓wèito namev, 11 strokes, radical 讠, rank #44609, Very Hard
谓wèito designatev, 11 strokes, radical 讠, rank #44609, Very Hard
谓wèimeaningv, 11 strokes, radical 讠, rank #44609, Very Hard
谓wèisensev, 11 strokes, radical 讠, rank #44609, Very Hard
谓wèito call, to say, to tell; name, title; meaningv, 11 strokes, radical 讠, rank #44609, Very Hard
wèi(Wei4) T4
  1. 1to speak
  2. 2to say
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
谓(謂)wèi(Wei4)

谓 (wèi) is a verb meaning 'to speak,' 'to say,' or 'to designate.' It is commonly used in formal contexts, often in written Chinese, to introduce or clarify a statement or a name. The character is often found in literary or academic texts where precise meanings are important.

Strokes11Radical讠Frequency#44609DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese philosophy, particularly in Confucian texts, the act of naming or designating is tied to the concept of order and clarity in society. Hence, 谓 plays a significant role in discussions about ethics and morality.

Memory Tip

Imagine a wise sage (sounds like 'wèi') holding a scroll, designating names of great thinkers in history. The character 谓 combines the radical for speech (言) and a component that suggests a designated meaning, connecting the act of speaking to the essence of naming.

Meanings of 谓

wèi(Wei4)
1to speak
2to say
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 谓

谓Simplified
謂Traditional
11Strokes
讠Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#44609Frequency Rank

Podcast: 谓

JasonAmy

Podcast: 谓

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 谓

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a wise sage (sounds like 'wèi') holding a scroll, designating names of great thinkers in history. The character 谓 combines the radical for speech (言) and a component that suggests a designated meaning, connecting the act of speaking to the essence of naming.

Usage Notes

When using 谓, be aware that it is more formal than everyday speech; avoid using it in casual conversations. Common collocations include '谓之' (to call it) or '所谓' (so-called). Note the tonal pronunciation: it is a fourth tone, which is often mispronounced as a second tone.

HSK Study Tips

While 谓 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects well with words related to speech and communication found in HSK levels 4 and 5. Learners should focus on its usage in formal writing to improve their understanding of academic Chinese.

Cultural Note

In Chinese philosophy, particularly in Confucian texts, the act of naming or designating is tied to the concept of order and clarity in society. Hence, 谓 plays a significant role in discussions about ethics and morality.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 谓 with 说 due to their similar meanings; for example, saying '我谓他来' instead of '我说他来' (I say he is coming) is incorrect. Use 谓 in more formal contexts to avoid awkwardness.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 谓

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Etymology of 谓

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 讠 represents the meaning and 胃 represents the sound. Simplified form of 謂.

Memory Hint

speech

Semantic (meaning)讠
+
Phonetic (sound)胃
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 谓?

Decomposition of 谓

IDS Structure⿰讠胃
谓Full Character
=
讠yan2
left
胃wei4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 谓?

Write 谓

谓

Practice writing 谓 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 谓

谓 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 8 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

他们所____的回答不过是表示承认的咕哝罢了。

Their replies were no more than grunts of acknowledgement.

Common Confusions with 谓

谓vs为
wéi

Similar pronunciation but different meanings.

Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "to speak"?

or

Usage Notes for 谓

Usage in Formal ContextsGrammar Tip

‘谓’ is often used in literary or formal contexts, particularly in classical texts.

1

在古文中，常用‘谓’来引述或说明。

In classical literature, '谓' is often used to quote or explain.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill in the Blank

在古文中，常用‘____’来引述或说明。

In classical literature, '谓' is often used to quote or explain.

Example Sentences for 谓 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他们所谓的回答不过是表示承认的咕哝罢了。

tā mén suǒ wèi de huí dá bù guò shì biǎo shì chéng rèn de gū nóng bà le。

Their replies were no more than grunts of acknowledgement.
2
《编辑》杂志对于核对事实这一点采取无所谓的态度。

《 《 biān》 jí 》 zá zhì duì yú hé duì shì shí zhè yī diǎn cǎi qǔ wú suǒ wèi de。

The Editor takes a cavalier attitude to the concept of fact checking.
3
如果你想的话，我会和你在一起来。我无所谓。

rú guǒ nǐ xiǎng de huà， ， wǒ huì hé nǐ zài yī qǐ。 lái 。 wǒ wú。

I'll come with you if you like. I might as well.
4
我之所以得到提拔是由于立下了所谓的英勇卓越的功勋。

wǒ zhī suǒ yǐ dé dào tí bá shì yóu yú lì xià le suǒ wèi de yīng yǒng zhuó yuè de gōng xūn。

I had been promoted for what was called gallant and meritorious service.
5
在南非，贾尼可谓塘中无鱼虾为大。

zài nán fēi， ， jiǎ ní kě wèi táng zhōng wú yú xiā wéi。

In South Africa, Jani was a big fish in a small pond.
6
加兰努力装出无所谓的样子，可是他没法克服自己的局促不安。

jiā lán nǔ lì zhuāng chū wú suǒ wèi de yàng zǐ， ， kě shì tā méi fǎ kè fú zì jǐ de jú cù bù。

Garland tried to appear casual, but he couldn't conquer his unease.
7
当老恩萧发现他的儿子这样虐待他所谓的可怜的孤儿时, 这种逆来顺受使老恩萧冒火了.

dāng lǎo ēn xiāo fā xiàn tā de ér zǐ zhè yàng nüè dài tā suǒ wèi de kě lián de gū ér shí, , zhè zhǒng nì lái shùn shòu shǐ lǎo ēn xiāo mào huǒ.

This endurance made old Earnshaw furious, when he discovered his son persecuting the poor, fatherless child, as he called
8
这个机理的特殊情况就是 所谓 的筛分效应.

zhè gè jī lǐ de tè shū qíng kuàng jiù shì suǒ wèi de shāi fēn.

A special case of this mechanism is the so - called sieve effect.
9
所谓的“金领贵族”实质上不过是高收入的脑力劳动者而已.

suǒ wèi de“ “ jīn lǐng guì” zú ” shí zhì shàng bù guò shì gāo shōu rù de nǎo lì láo dòng zhě.

The so - called golden - collar gentry are essentially nothing but brain - workers with high income.
10
所谓冷就是缺乏热量.

suǒ wèi lěng jiù shì quē fá rè liáng.

Cold is the privation of heat.

Cultural Notes for 谓

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese philosophy, particularly in Confucian texts, the act of naming or designating is tied to the concept of order and clarity in society. Hence, 谓 plays a significant role in discussions about ethics and morality.

Word Family of 谓

Words Containing This Character10
所谓suǒwèiso-called所謂
无所谓wúsuǒwèito be indifferent無所謂
可谓kěwèiit could even be said可謂
谓wèito speak謂
无谓pointless無謂
称谓title稱謂
何谓(literary) what is?何謂
谓语(grammatical) predicate謂語
谓词predicate (in logic and grammar)謂詞
意谓to mean意謂
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 所谓 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 谓

While 谓 (wèi) is a useful character, it is more common in written language or formal speech. In everyday conversation, people might opt for simpler words like 说 (shuō) for 'to say'.