妍 meaning and stroke order
Beautiful, handsome; seductive
How to write 妍, stroke by stroke
7 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 妍
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- beautiful
How 妍 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A woman 女 who appears forward or open 开.
Radical: 女 (woman), shared by 156 characters on this site.
How to remember 妍
妍 puts 女 (woman) next to 开 (kāi, open). Picture a woman with an open, bright face, and you have someone beautiful.
妍 (yán) is a literary word for beauty and rarely stands alone in speech. It appears in set phrases like 争妍斗艳 (zhēng yán dòu yàn, to compete in beauty, often said of flowers) and is popular in girls' given names. Example: 春天百花争妍。(Chūntiān bǎihuā zhēng yán.) In spring, all the flowers compete in beauty.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 妍 with 研 (yán, to research), which has the same sound and the same right side but uses 石 (stone) instead of 女. If the meaning is beauty, use 女. If it is study or grinding, as in 研究 (yánjiū), use 石.
Questions about 妍
How many strokes are in 妍?
妍 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 妍 mean?
妍 (yán) means beautiful, handsome; seductive.
How do you pronounce 妍?
妍 is pronounced yán, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 妍?
The radical of 妍 is 女, which carries the idea of "woman". Dictionaries list 妍 under this radical.
Is 妍 used in people's names?
Yes. 妍 is a common character in Chinese girls' names because it suggests beauty and grace. You will see names like 妍妍 (Yányán) or combinations such as 雅妍 (Yǎyán).
Can I say 她很妍 to mean she is beautiful?
No, that sounds wrong in modern Chinese. In everyday speech use 漂亮 (piàoliang) or 美 (měi), as in 她很漂亮 (Tā hěn piàoliang). Keep 妍 for set phrases, written style, and names.