焉 meaning and stroke order
Why? where? how?; strange; thereupon, then
How to write 焉, stroke by stroke
11 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 焉
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- where
- how
How 焉 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A bird 鳥 with a strange head.
Radical: 灬 (fire), shared by 28 characters on this site.
How to remember 焉
The etymology hint describes 焉 as a bird 鳥 with a strange head. Picture the bottom like a bird's body and feet (the four dots 灬), with an odd 正-shaped head on top, a bird so strange you ask "where did it come from, how?"
焉 (yān) is a classical Chinese word meaning "where" or "how," and in modern Chinese it mostly survives in set phrases and idioms. The most common one is 心不在焉 (xīnbùzàiyān), literally "the heart is not there." Example: 他上课时总是心不在焉。(Tā shàngkè shí zǒngshì xīnbùzàiyān.) He is always absent-minded in class.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 焉 with 马 or 鸟 because the bottoms look similar, and they write the top as a plain 正 without noticing it connects into the body. Also remember it is first tone yān, not yàn like 燕 (swallow), which has a different top.
Common words with 焉
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 心不在焉 | xīnbùzàiyān | absent-minded; preoccupied |
焉 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 焉
How many strokes are in 焉?
焉 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 焉 mean?
焉 (yān) means why? where? how?; strange; thereupon, then. A common word with it is 心不在焉 (xīnbùzàiyān), meaning "absent-minded; preoccupied".
How do you pronounce 焉?
焉 is pronounced yān, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 焉?
The radical of 焉 is 灬, which carries the idea of "fire". Dictionaries list 焉 under this radical.
Can I use 焉 to ask "where" in everyday speech?
No. In modern spoken Chinese you use 哪里 (nǎlǐ) or 怎么 (zěnme) instead. 焉 sounds classical and appears mainly in idioms and formal writing.
What does 焉 mean at the end of a classical sentence?
In classical texts 焉 often ends a sentence as a particle meaning roughly "there" or "in it," or simply marking a statement. You will see this in famous quotes, such as 三人行，必有我师焉 (sān rén xíng, bì yǒu wǒ shī yān), "among three people walking, there is surely a teacher for me."