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空で言う (そらでいう) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
expression, godan verb (-u)
recite from memory ; say by heart
Used when reciting something without looking at a text, such as a speech, poem, or lines. The phrase 空で is an adverbial form meaning 'by heart' or 'from memory'.
I practiced saying my lines by heart.
Written forms 空そら で 言い う
Standard kanji spelling for the expression.
そらで 言い う
Kana spelling of the first part; sometimes used for clarity or in informal writing.
Similar words 暗あん 記き する 暗記する means 'to memorize', while 空で言う focuses on the act of reciting from memory without prompts.
そらんじる そらんじる is a more formal or literary verb meaning 'to recite from memory', often used for classical texts.
Etymology The expression combines 空 (そら, 'empty' or 'sky') with で (particle) and 言う (いう, 'to say'). The exact origin of 空で meaning 'from memory' is uncertain, but it may derive from the idea of pulling words out of thin air.
