The kanji 言 primarily means "word," "speech," "to say," or "to speak." It encompasses the idea of verbal communication, expressions, and declarations. It represents the act of articulating thoughts, ideas, and information through language.

・On-yomi (音読み): げん (gen), ごん (gon) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): い（う） (i(u))

⚫︎言語 Translation: language ⚫︎発言 Translation: utterance; statement; remark ⚫︎言葉 Translation: words; language; speech

The kanji 言 is a pictograph. The upper part represents a tongue, and the lower part represents the mouth. The character originally depicted a tongue protruding from a mouth, symbolizing the act of speaking or verbal communication. Over time, the form evolved and simplified to its present appearance. It is a very direct representation of the concept of "speech."