谔 (è): outspoken; frank; speaking hone…

Meanings

1 outspoken; frank; speaking honestly and without flattery

Characters

谔

è

outspoken; frank speech

Examples

HSK 7-9

他是一位谔谔敢言的清官。

Tā shì yí wèi è'è gǎnyán de qīngguān.

He was an upright official who dared to speak frankly.

HSK 7-9

千人之诺诺，不如一士之谔谔。

Qiān rén zhī nuònuò, bùrú yí shì zhī è'è.

The frank words of a hundred yes-men are worth less than one honest critic.

Tips

history

谔 usually doubles as 谔谔 ('frank and outspoken'). The classic line 千人诺诺，不如一士谔谔 contrasts a crowd of yes-men with one honest critic, a praise of speaking truth to power.

Components

radical

讠 yán

speech; words

The speech radical 讠 (left-side form of 言) carries the meaning; this word is all about plain, honest speaking.

phonetic

咢 è

to beat a drum; startle

咢 supplies the sound è; its 'startling outcry' flavour matches blunt, attention-getting speech.

Stroke Order

谔 è

Related Words

不假思索 bùjiǎ-sīsuǒ HSK 7-9 #35,239

without hesitation; without thinking / instinctively; without a moment's thought

擅自 shànzì HSK 7-9 #8,208

without permission / on one's own authority / without authorization

老实说 lǎoshíshuō HSK 7-9

honestly speaking / to be honest / frankly

说真的 shuōzhēnde HSK 7-9

to be honest / honestly / frankly speaking

有口无心 yǒukǒu-wúxīn HSK 7-9

to speak without meaning it / to say things without thinking / sharp-tongued but soft-hearted

而言 éryán #1,787

in terms of / as far as ... is concerned / speaking of

开诚布公 kāichéng-bùgōng #9,625

to be frank and open; to speak candidly / to deal with someone honestly and fairly

说来 shuōlái #4,895

speaking of which / when it comes to / to put it

无家可归 wújiā-kěguī HSK 7-9 #5,080

homeless / without a home to return to

毫不 háobù HSK 7-9 #4,420

not at all / not in the least / without the slightest