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说起来 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
说起来speaking of which; come to think of it; as it happensHSK 7, l, 26 strokes, Very Hard
  1. 1speaking of which; come to think of it; as it happens
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March 24, 2026

说起来

说起来 (shuō qǐ lái) is a phrase that translates to 'speaking of' or 'when it comes to' in English. It is commonly used to introduce a topic or to shift the conversation towards something relevant, making it a useful conversational tool in both casual and formal contexts.

Strokes26DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, conversation is often indirect and context-driven. Using phrases like 说起来 helps to gracefully navigate discussions and maintain a flow, reflecting the value placed on harmonious communication.

Memory tip

Imagine you're at a party and someone says 'Speaking of that...' to start a new topic. The characters 说 (to speak) and 来 (to come) suggest that you're bringing something up or coming to a point in the conversation.

Meanings of 说起来

Exercise 1 of 1

In English

What does 说起来 mean in English?

说起来

About 说起来

说起来Simplified
26Strokes
—Radical
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 说起来

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Podcast: 说起来

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AI study notes for 说起来

Usage Notes

Be careful not to use 说起来 in overly formal situations, as it is more suited for conversational contexts. A common mistake is to forget the tone when pronouncing, as it can change the meaning; ensure to say it as 'shuō qǐ lái' with the correct tones.

HSK Study Tips

Although 说起来 is not an HSK vocabulary item, it connects well with topics at HSK Level 3 and above, where learners should focus on conversational phrases and transitions. Understanding this phrase can help in forming more cohesive dialogues.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 说起来 when switching to an unrelated topic; it should connect to prior discussion. For example, saying '说起来,我昨天去看电影' (Speaking of that, I went to see a movie yesterday) is correct if the prior topic was about movies.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 说起来

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Component characters

说shuōto say
HSK 19 strokes讠
View full entry
起qǐto rise
HSK 310 strokes走
View full entry
来láito come
HSK 17 strokes木
View full entry

How to say speaking of which; come to think of it; as it happens in Chinese

“speaking of which; come to think of it; as it happens” in Chinese is说起来

说起来 (shuō qǐ lái) is a phrase that translates to 'speaking of' or 'when it comes to' in English. It is commonly used to introduce a topic or to shift the conversation towards something relevant, making it a useful conversational tool in both casual and formal contexts.

When to use 说起来

Be careful not to use 说起来 in overly formal situations, as it is more suited for conversational contexts. A common mistake is to forget the tone when pronouncing, as it can change the meaning; ensure to say it as 'shuō qǐ lái' with the correct tones.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly use 说起来 when switching to an unrelated topic; it should connect to prior discussion. For example, saying '说起来,我昨天去看电影' (Speaking of that, I went to see a movie yesterday) is correct if the prior topic was about movies.

Write 说起来

说
起
来

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Frequently asked questions about 说起来

Yes, but it's best for topics that are somewhat related to what was previously discussed.

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