一いち言げん半はん句く

also: いちごんはんく

Meanings

a single word; even a word; even a syllable

Used in negative contexts to emphasize that not even a single word or syllable is spoken, written, or revealed. Often appears in set phrases like 一言半句も～ない.

彼かれはそのことについて一いち言ごん半はん句くも話はなさなかった。
He didn't say a single word about it.
秘ひ密みつを一いち言ごん半はん句くも漏もらしてはいけない。
You must not leak even a syllable of the secret.

Kanji

一one, one radical (no.1)
言say, word
半half, middle, odd number
句phrase, clause, sentence

Related words

一ひと言こと
一言 is a common word for 'a single word' or 'a brief remark', used in both positive and negative contexts. 一言半句 is a stronger, more emphatic yojijukugo used almost exclusively in negative constructions.

Written forms

一言半句
- いちごんはんく
  Standard kanji spelling for this yojijukugo. The reading いちごんはんく is more common than いちげんはんく.
- いちげんはんく
  Alternate reading; less common but still encountered.
いちごんはんく

Etymology

A yojijukugo composed of 一言 (one word) and 半句 (half a phrase), together emphasizing the smallest unit of speech. The exact origin is uncertain, but it follows a common pattern of intensifying through repetition of similar concepts.