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晚安 (wǎn ān) — Good evening!; Good night!

Definition

A set phrase meaning 'good night,' said when parting for the evening or going to bed. It's a fixed greeting, not a verb you conjugate.

verb
Good evening!Good night!

Examples

  • 晚安，。
    wǎn ān, Míng tiān jiàn.
    Good night, see you tomorrow.
  • 晚安。
    Tā gěi wǒ shuō le yī shēng wǎn ān.
    He said good night to me.
  • 晚安，。
    wǎn ān, Hǎo hǎo xiū xi.
    Good night, have a good rest.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

晚wǎnevening
安ānpeaceful rest

晚 (evening) and 安 (peaceful rest) together wish someone a quiet night.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
日日rì
Sound part声符shēngfú
免
免miǎn晚wǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

晚 pairs 日, the sun part, with 免, which supplies the sound.

Open 晚 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
女
女nǚ安ān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 安, 宀 sits above a seated 女 on a cushion; 宀 is the meaning part, 女 is the sound part, and the character originally meant sitting at ease.

Open 安 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 41000 Most Frequent Chinese WordsGreetings & Politeness2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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