名言|めいげんmeigen[0]heiban (flat)

1. nounwise saying; famous saying; witty remark

• Synonym格言かくげんNeutralNeutral. A concise statement of life principles or worldly wisdom offered as a lesson; the focus is on the teaching, while 「名言」 stresses how well the words are put.
• Synonym金言きんげんWrittenWritten/formal prose. Words left by earlier generations that serve as a model for living; close to 「格言」 but carrying more respect.
• SynonymマキシムNeutralNeutral. A loanword for a maxim or rule of conduct; rarely used in daily life.
• RelatedことわざNeutralNeutral. Proverbs handed down among ordinary people with no known author; 「名言」 usually has a clear speaker.
• Related箴言しんげんWrittenWritten/formal prose. Words of admonition; also the Bible's Book of Proverbs. Carries a strong written-register flavor.
• Related俗諺ぞくげんNeutralNeutral. Folk sayings and popular proverbs; used less often, and in everyday speech people simply say 「諺」.
• Related金言名句きんげんめいくWrittenWritten/formal prose. A four-character compound for treasured wise sayings and fine phrases; bookish and somewhat inflated.
• Antonym迷言めいげんCasualColloquial. An antonym that is a homophone of 「名言」: a remark presented like a wise saying that turns out to be absurd; used with a joking tone.

Use 「名言」 for especially fine words or remarks that capture the essence of something; for words meant as a lesson say 「格言」, for folk sayings 「諺」, and, jokingly, 「迷言」 for a would-be wise saying that is really absurd.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 事物じぶつの本質ほんしつをうまくとらえた言葉ことば。
2. 特別とくべつに優すぐれた言葉ことば。