► 動詞
言う [(2)いう] [と言う] meaning: call rank: 1
☆ 人生と言うのは分からないものだ ⇨ What’s called life is unknown. You never know what life brings
☆ 山田工業と言う会社は聞いた事がない ⇨ I’ve never heard a company called Yamada Industry
言う [(2)いう] meaning: say rank: 1
☆ 何が言いたいんだ？ ⇨ What are you trying to say?
☆ 彼は何も言わなかった ⇨ He didn’t say anything
言う [(2)いう] [と言われる] meaning: say rank: 1
☆ 彼は史上最高のサッカー選手と言われる ⇨ It is said he is the best footballer in the history
言う [(2)いう] [coll] meaning: sound rank: 1
☆ この戸はギーギー言う。この荷台はガタガタ言う ⇨ This door squeaks. This cart rattles (☛ Makes certain noise. Always accompanied by an adverb that describes the specific noise)
言う [(2)いう] meaning: tell rank: 1
☆ 人に言えない悩み ⇨ A problem you cannot tell others
► 成句
言う [(2)いう] [と言うことは] [coll] meaning: mean rank: 2
☆ と言うことは試合は延期になるということですか？ ⇨ Does that mean the game will be postponed? (☛ In response to some statement. Always followed by a question to verify the original statement)
言う [(2)いう] [言う迄もない] meaning: needless to say rank: 2
☆ ～であることは言う迄もありません ⇨ It is needless to say …
☆ それは言う迄もない ⇨ That goes without saying
言う [(2)いう] [言う事を聞く] meaning: obey rank: 2
☆ うちの子供は言う事を聞かない ⇨ My kid doesn’t listen to, obey, me
☆ 車のブレーキが突然言う事を聞かなくなった ⇨ My car brakes suddenly stopped listening to me, they stopped working
言う [(2)いう] [～と言う～] meaning: all rank: 3
☆ 専門家と言う専門家全てに聞いたが、皆違う事を言う ⇨ I asked everybody who is called an expert, but they all say different things
言う [(2)いう] [と言う] meaning: approximate rank: 3
☆ 第二次大戦で何千万人と言う人が死んだ ⇨ Some ten million people died in WW2 (☛ Follows a large number for rough approximation)
言う [(2)いう] [そうは言っても] [coll] meaning: even if so rank: 3
☆ そうは言ってもこのまま何もしないわけにもいかないだろう ⇨ Even if you say so, we can’t just not do anything about it
言う [(2)いう] [言わんとする] meaning: mean rank: 3
☆ あなたが言わんとすることは分からないでもないが… ⇨ Even though I kind of understand what you’re trying to say …
言う [(2)いう] [～と言う～] meaning: very rank: 3
☆ 今度と言う今度は許さない ⇨ This time after all this time, I won’t forgive him (☛ Used for time/date word to emphasis the occasion)
☆ 今日と言う今日は決着を付けよう ⇨ Let’s settle this once and for all this very day (☛ Used for time/date word to emphasis the occasion)
言う [(2)いう] meaning: warn rank: 3
☆ だから言わんこっちゃない ⇨ That’s why I warned. I told you/him/her/them so (☛ A common phrase. An abbreviation of 言わない事ではない. )
言う [(2)いう] [言うなれば] [liter] meaning: so to speak rank: 4
☆ それは言うなれば～のようなものだ ⇨ That is kind of like …, so to speak
► 接続詞
言う [(2)いう] [だからと言って] [coll] meaning: even if so rank: 2
☆ あいつが先に俺を侮辱したんだ。だからと言って殴っていいわけじゃないだろう ⇨ He insulted me first. Even if that’s the case you cannot just punch him
More examples:
- 彼の言うことは強ちデタラメではない ⇨ What he is saying is not necessarily BS
- 人の言う事を気にしていたらキリがない ⇨ There is no end if you start worrying about what other people say
- 彼は何彼に付けて文句を言う ⇨ He complains about everything whatever it is
- 床がミシミシ言う ⇨ The floor squeaks
- 私はお世辞を言うのが下手だ ⇨ I am not good at flattering someone
- 彼の言う事が全く分からない訳じゃない ⇨ It is not that I don’t understand what he is saying at all. I’m not totally dismissing him
- 顰蹙なことを言う奴 ⇨ Someone who says outrageous, inappropriate, things
- あいつの言う事は聞き流しておけばいい ⇨ You can just ignore what he says
- 文句を言うんじゃない！ ⇨ Don’t complain!
- 彼は私の言うことを信じない ⇨ He won’t believe what I say
- 君は人の言う事を気にし過ぎだよ ⇨ You worry too much about what others say
- あなたの言うことに私も同感です ⇨ I feel the same way with what you just said
- 惚けた事を言うな ⇨ Cut your crap!
- 彼女はいつも言いたいことをズケズケ言う ⇨ She always says what she wants to say bluntly (and rudely, shamelessly)
- あいつは言うことがコロコロ変わる ⇨ What he says changes all the time