言 Language
言语。“言”是人们表达思想、意愿以及相互交流的基本载体。对于“言”是否能够准确、完整地表达想法，尚存在争论。人们会出于各种原因，有意或无意地用言语掩盖或错误地表达想法。此外，“言”有时也特指为政者对百姓的教化方式。儒家重视“言传”的作用，而道家则主张“不言之教”。
Yan means language, or words. Language is the basic vehicle through which people express thoughts and wishes, and with which they conduct exchanges. There are still debates regarding whether or not language can accurately and completely express thinking. For various reasons, language may be used by people – deliberately or not – to obfuscate or erroneously express ideas. Moreover, yan at times specifically referred to a means by which those in government instructed the populace. Confucians stressed the role of "conveying through words," while Daoists favored "wordless instruction."
引例 Citations：
◎子曰：“君子欲讷于言而敏于行。”（《论语·里仁》）
孔子说：“君子希望言语谨慎迟缓而行动敏捷。”
Confucius said, "A man of virtue tries to be cautious with words but quick in action." (The Analects)
◎是以圣人处无为之事，行不言之教。（《老子·二章》）
因此圣人以无为的方式处理世事，以不言的方式教导百姓。
Therefore, sages deal with world's affairs by way of non-action, teaching people without uttering a word. (Laozi)
推荐：教育部 国家语委
供稿：北京外国语大学 外语教学与研究出版社
责任编辑：钱耐安
