妍 (yán) — beautiful (used as a bound form in compound words)
Definition
A literary bound form meaning 'beautiful, lovely', used mostly in compounds like 妍丽 and 百花争妍. More literary than 美丽 and rarely used alone.
bound form
beautiful (used as a bound form in compound words)
Easily confused
- 研yánlook-aliketo research, to study (in academic or professional contexts)
- 言yánsound-alikespeech, word, talk (bound form in compounds related to language and communication)
- 盐yánsound-alikesalt
- 岩yánsound-alikerock; cliff (used as a bound morpheme in place names and compound words)
- 严yánsound-alikestrict, stern, severe
- 延yánsound-aliketo extend; to prolong (in time or length)
Examples
- 妍。Zhè duǒ huā fēi cháng yán lì.This flower is extremely gorgeous.
- 妍。Chūn tiān bǎi huā zhēng yán.In spring, a hundred flowers vie in beauty.
- 妍。Tā de róng mào yán měi dòng rén.Her appearance is beautifully moving.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
Sound part声符shēngfú
幵
幵jiān妍yán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
妍 pairs 女 (woman) with 幵; 幵 gives the sound.
Appears in
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