Meaning of 演讲
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to give a lecture; to make a speech
How to use 演讲
演讲 is used for a formal speech or lecture given to an audience, and it works as both a verb and a noun. It often pairs with 发表 (fābiǎo) or 做 (zuò), as in 做演讲. Example: 他明天要在大学演讲。 (Tā míngtiān yào zài dàxué yǎnjiǎng.) He is going to give a speech at the university tomorrow.
演 (yǎn) means to perform, as in 表演 (biǎoyǎn), and 讲 (jiǎng) means to speak. A 演讲 is speaking as if you are performing on a stage in front of an audience.
Common mistake: Both syllables are third tone, so in speech the first one changes to second tone: say yánjiǎng, not yǎnjiǎng. Learners also use 演讲 for any casual talk, but for an informal remark or a boss speaking at a meeting, 讲话 (jiǎnghuà) is more natural.
演讲 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
演 yǎn · to perform · 14 strokes
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讲 jiǎng · to speak · 6 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 演讲.
| 讲话 | jiǎnghuà | a speech; to speak |
| 听讲 | tīngjiǎng | to attend a lecture; to listen to a talk |
| 表演 | biǎoyǎn | play; show |
| 演出 | yǎnchū | to act (in a play); to perform |
| 演员 | yǎnyuán | actor; actress; performer |
| 导演 | dǎoyǎn | to direct; director (film etc) |
| 演唱 | yǎnchàng | to sing (for an audience); vocal performance |
| 演唱会 | yǎnchànghuì | vocal recital or concert |
| 讲究 | jiǎngjiu | to pay particular attention to; carefully selected for quality |
| 讲座 | jiǎngzuò | course of lectures; lecture series; chair (academic position) |
| 扮演 | bànyǎn | to play the role of; to act |
| 演奏 | yǎnzòu | to perform on a musical instrument |
Questions about 演讲
What does 演讲 mean?
演讲 (yǎnjiǎng) means "to give a lecture; to make a speech" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 演讲?
演讲 is made of 2 characters: 演 (14 strokes), 讲 (6 strokes). That is 20 strokes in total.
Is 演讲 an HSK word?
Yes. 演讲 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 演讲 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 演讲 is written 演講.
What is the difference between 演讲 and 讲话?
演讲 is a prepared, formal speech, often with a topic and an audience, like a speech contest or a public lecture. 讲话 is broader and can mean simply talking, or a speech by a leader at an event.
How do you say speech contest in Chinese?
A speech contest is 演讲比赛 (yǎnjiǎng bǐsài). It is a very common school and university activity in China, including for foreign students learning Chinese.