noun
good words; wise saying
A somewhat literary term for a well-chosen remark, a piece of good advice, or a memorable wise saying. Not an everyday word; more likely in writing or formal speech.
彼のスピーチには佳言が多かった。
His speech was full of wise sayings.
この本は人生の佳言を集めたものです。
This book is a collection of wise sayings about life.
名言 is the common word for 'famous saying' or 'wise quote'. 佳言 is rarer and more literary, emphasizing the excellence of the words themselves rather than their fame.
格言 is a 'proverb' or 'maxim', a fixed traditional saying. 佳言 is broader and can refer to any well-chosen remark, not necessarily a set phrase.
Composed of 佳 (excellent, beautiful) and 言 (words, speech). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the spelling is conventionally associated with the meaning 'excellent words'.