📖 Meaning
Speech and writing are clear, logical, and well-organized. It describes someone who expresses ideas in a coherent, methodical way, whether in conversation or in prose.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom comes from the 'Gen' (艮) hexagram commentary in the 'Zhou Yi' (I Ching, or Book of Changes), one of the oldest Chinese classics, compiled during the Zhou dynasty and traditionally associated with figures such as King Wen of Zhou and the Duke of Zhou. The original line reads '言有序，悔亡' — 'when one's words are orderly, regret disappears.' Over time this phrase was distilled into the four-character idiom used today to praise clear and structured expression.
💡 Example Usage
这篇论文结构清晰，言之有序，读来令人信服。
This paper has a clear structure and is well-organized, making it highly convincing to read.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 言之有序
- Pinyin: yán zhī yǒu xù
- Literal Translation: words, them, have, order
- Category: Communication
- Characters: 4