名言
míng yán · HSK 7
famous remark
💬 名 (famous) + 言 (words/speech) = famous words = a well-known saying
名 carries the sense of name/fame, and 言 means words or speech. Put them together and you get famous words: a memorable remark or quotation worth repeating.
名 — evening 夕 + mouth 口
A compound ideograph: in the dark of evening (夕), one cannot recognize others by sight, so the mouth (口) calls out a name to identify oneself. The original sense of 'name' broadened to include reputation, fame, and a measure word for people.