<p>发言 (speak) is more general, it can be a few words to a small audience. Even one person speaking to another person is a speech (发言). It can also be a lengthy statement in a large meeting that sounds almost like a lecture</p>
<p>演讲 (making a speech/ lecture ) is more specific, it is usually a lengthy lecture  with a large audience</p>
<ul>
<li><p>发言: to speak; to make a statement</p>
</li>
<li><p>演讲: to perform a lecture; to make a speech</p>
</li>
<li><p>A professor making a speech on stage is 演讲</p>
</li>
<li><p>A student speaks (ask a question or give an opinion) in the professor's lecture is 发言</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Example:</p>
<p>市長在電視上发言 - The mayor speaks on TV (he can be making a short statement or giving a full speech)</p>
<p>市長在他母校演讲 - The mayor gave a speech at his alma mater (it has to be a formal full speech, can't be casual talk or just a few words)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-08-14T02:56:11.870Z
Thank you so much!!! You are bananas!!! I see you on here helping all of us learn Mandarin! You are truly something special, my friend!
Joseph King
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-08-14T07:21:32.590Z
The thing is, Tang Ho reads it in Cantonese. It is testimony to the wisdom and success of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, (秦始皇), 2200 yrs ago mandating that no matter what language / dialect you speak, a "standard" script is prescribed. A written sentence in this Forum could be read, pronounced in Mandarin, Cantonese, Hakka, Hokkien, but still readily understood by these various speakers. There are regional differences in meaning of some written characters, but owing to the universal standardization in the teaching material in schools in and outside mainland China the differences are disappearing.
Wayne Cheah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-08-14T02:28:21.300Z
2021-08-14T02:42:44.750Z
2021-08-14T02:42:44.750Z
Tang Ho
<p>In a meeting, every participant is expected to speak up (发言) to deliver his/her message. Also, a person who delivers/passes out the messages/policies from a government/company to the public is named the &quot;发言人&quot;.</p>
<p>In an invitation-only event, only the pre-arranged speaker(s) speaks (演讲) to the audience.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-08-14T03:01:24.153Z
2021-08-14T03:10:57.713Z
2021-08-14T03:10:57.713Z
r13
<p>“发言” 和“ 演讲”有什么区别？
I know they both mean &quot;speech&quot; and to make a speech or lecture, but I can't tell the full difference.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for helping!!</p>

<difference><ambiguity>
"发言" 和 "演讲" 有什么区别？Do both of these words mean "speech" or "make a speech"?
# "发言" 和 "演讲" 有什么区别？Do both of these words mean "speech" or "make a speech"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-08-14)

“发言” 和“ 演讲”有什么区别？
I know they both mean "speech" and to make a speech or lecture, but I can't tell the full difference.

Thanks so much for helping!!

**Tags:** difference, ambiguity


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-08-14. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

发言 (speak) is more general, it can be a few words to a small audience. Even one person speaking to another person is a speech (发言). It can also be a lengthy statement in a large meeting that sounds almost like a lecture

演讲 (making a speech/ lecture ) is more specific, it is usually a lengthy lecture with a large audience

* 发言: to speak; to make a statement
* 演讲: to perform a lecture; to make a speech
* A professor making a speech on stage is 演讲
* A student speaks (ask a question or give an opinion) in the professor's lecture is 发言

Example:

市長在電視上发言 - The mayor speaks on TV (he can be making a short statement or giving a full speech)

市長在他母校演讲 - The mayor gave a speech at his alma mater (it has to be a formal full speech, can't be casual talk or just a few words)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thank you so much!!! You are bananas!!! I see you on here helping all of us learn Mandarin! You are truly something special, my friend!  
> **username_2**: The thing is, username_1 Ho reads it in Cantonese. It is testimony to the wisdom and success of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, (秦始皇), 2200 yrs ago mandating that no matter what language / dialect you speak, a "standard" script is prescribed. A written sentence in this Forum could be read, pronounced in Mandarin, Cantonese, Hakka, Hokkien, but still readily understood by these various speakers. There are regional differences in meaning of some written characters, but owing to the universal standardization in the teaching material in schools in and outside mainland China the differences are disappearing.  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2021-08-14. Score: 2

In a meeting, every participant is expected to speak up (发言) to deliver his/her message. Also, a person who delivers/passes out the messages/policies from a government/company to the public is named the "发言人".

In an invitation-only event, only the pre-arranged speaker(s) speaks (演讲) to the audience.


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