话语

• Pinyin: huà yǔ
• Hanzi breakdown: 话 = 讠+ 舌 (speech); 语 = 讠+ 吾 (language/words)

Meaning

Words spoken; speech; utterance; discourse. Refers to what someone says or the act of speaking.

Used in everyday and academic contexts. The compound 话语权 (discursive power; the right to speak) is a key concept in media studies, politics, and gender studies. Common in formal writing.

Examples

1. 他的话语简短而有力，让在场所有人都深受触动。 His words were brief but powerful, deeply moving everyone present.
2. 在这场讨论中，她的话语代表了一代人的心声。 In this discussion, her words gave voice to an entire generation.
3. 国际话语权的争夺已经成为大国博弈的重要战场。 The struggle for international discourse power has become a key battleground in major-power competition.

Usage Guide

Context: academia, politics, media, rhetoric

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 他的话语充满力量，激励了无数年轻人追逐自己的梦想。(His words are full of power, inspiring countless young people to pursue their dreams.)
• 在国际舞台上争取话语权，是每个国家的重要战略目标。(Winning discursive power on the international stage is an important strategic goal of every nation.)

Don't Say

• 话语 and 词语 interchangeably — 词语 refers to individual words or terms; 话语 refers to spoken utterances, speech acts, or discourse as a whole

Origin & History

话 (speech) + 语 (language/words)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal