be careful what you say; consider your words
Proverb warning that the way you phrase something can cause unnecessary trouble; often used in the full form 物も言い様で角が立つ.
See also: 物も言いようで角が立つ
Be careful how you say things, because even a small difference in wording can cause offense.
同じ内容でも、物も言い様で相手の受け取り方は変わる。
Even with the same content, how you phrase it changes how the other person takes it.
Standard kanji spelling for the proverb.
Variant spelling using よう instead of 様.
Kana spelling of the first part; common in everyday writing.
A fixed proverb; the exact historical origin is uncertain, but it has been used in Japanese to caution about the impact of phrasing.