Why's 言 the semantic component of 謙? I don't understand how 言 (&quot;to say&quot;; &quot;speech&quot;, &quot;words&quot;) relates to modesty. Language, speech, words can be used to boast, exaggerate, and lie!

Above is Yellowbridge. Below is Oxford Chinese Dictionary (2010) p 577.
There really isn't much to say here - 「謙」 originally meant modest words or modesty in expression.


I don't understand how 言 (&quot;to say&quot;; &quot;speech&quot;, &quot;words&quot;) relates to modesty. Language, speech, words can be used to boast, exaggerate, and lie!

This looks to be a problem in the way you're thinking and reasoning about language, rather than a specifically Chinese language question. This is like asking

I don't understand how the word &quot;gutless&quot; relates to little; without. You can be without fear (&quot;fearless&quot;)!

Statements like this are very difficult to respond to in a context relevant to language, and these really aren't the right kinds of questions to help understand language better.