Dong Chinese dictionary

jiǎng

explain

Phonosemantic compound. 言 represents the meaning and 冓 represents the sound.

Components

言 Meaning component

yán

speech

冓 Sound component

gòu

a secluded place

講 and 冓 don't sound similar in modern Mandarin due to historical phonetic changes. They were more similar in older Chinese.講 /*kˤroŋʔ/
冓 /*kˤ(r)o-s/

Evolution

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical script

Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical script

Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)

Regular script

Modern

Definitions

jiǎng

explain; discuss; talk; to speak; to explain; to negotiate; to emphasise; to be particular about; as far as sth is concerned; speech; lecture

Most common words with 講

Sources