1.
broken speech, smattering of a language
Limited, halting speech in a foreign language. Describes the ability to speak only a few basic words or phrases, typically with poor grammar and pronunciation.
片言の日本語で話した。
I spoke in broken Japanese.
彼女は片言の英語で道を聞いてきた。
She asked for directions in broken English.
片言でも一生懸命伝えようとする姿勢が大切だ。
What matters is the effort to communicate, even in broken speech.
USAGE:
Almost always used with の to modify a language: 片言の日本語 (broken Japanese), 片言の英語 (broken English). Not derogatory — it simply describes a low level of fluency and is often used self-deprecatingly or with sympathy.
NOTE ON READING:
Also sometimes read as かたげん in more formal or literary contexts, but かたこと is the standard modern reading.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 片言の日本語: broken Japanese
- 片言で話す: to speak haltingly
- 片言ながら: though only in broken speech