Usage note
讲话表示说话、发言。
jiǎng huà biǎo shì shuō huà 、 fā yán。
讲话 means to speak or give a speech.
Context note
讲话常用于口语、会议和课堂。
jiǎng huà cháng yòng yú kǒu yǔ 、 huì yì hé kè táng。
It is often used with spoken language, meetings, and class.
5 examples
请不要讲话。
qǐng bú yào jiǎng huà。
Please do not talk.
老师正在讲话。
lǎo shī zhèng zài jiǎng huà。
The teacher is speaking.
他讲话很清楚。
tā jiǎng huà hěn qīng chǔ。
He speaks very clearly.
你可以讲话吗？
nǐ kě yǐ jiǎng huà ma？
Can you speak?
会议上她先讲话。
huì yì shàng tā xiān jiǎng huà。
She spoke first at the meeting.
5 mini stories
课堂上，大家认真听老师讲话。
kè táng shàng， dà jiā rèn zhēn tīng lǎo shī jiǎng huà。
In class, everyone listened carefully to the teacher speaking.
他讲话很慢，但很清楚。
tā jiǎng huà hěn màn， dàn hěn qīng chǔ。
He speaks slowly, but very clearly.
孩子学会了礼貌讲话。
hái zi xué huì le lǐ mào jiǎng huà。
The child learned to speak politely.
开会时，先让负责人讲话。
kāi huì shí， xiān ràng fù zé rén jiǎng huà。
During the meeting, let the person in charge speak first.
请安静，不要讲话。
qǐng ān jìng， bú yào jiǎng huà。
Please be quiet and do not speak.
Mini dialogue
上课要安静
A
上课的时候请不要讲话。
Shàngkè de shíhou qǐng bùyào jiǎnghuà.
Please don't talk during class.
B
好的，老师，我知道了。
Hǎo de, lǎoshī, wǒ zhīdào le.
Okay, teacher, I understand.
和奶奶打电话
A
你在和谁讲话？
Nǐ zài hé shéi jiǎnghuà?
Who are you talking to?
B
我在和奶奶讲话，她很想我。
Wǒ zài hé nǎinai jiǎnghuà, tā hěn xiǎng wǒ.
I'm talking to grandma; she misses me a lot.
Related words and contrasts
similar
说话
shuōhuà
to speak
very similar, but 讲话 is slightly more formal
related
演讲
yǎnjiǎng
to give a speech
a formal speech, like in a presentation
contrast
聊天
liáotiān
to chat
casual conversation, unlike a formal speech