衍 meaning and stroke order
To overflow; to spread out
How to write 衍, stroke by stroke
9 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 衍
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to spread out
- to develop
- to overflow
- to amplify
- superfluous
How 衍 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Water 氵 going in all directions 行.
Radical: 行 (to go), shared by 12 characters on this site.
How to remember 衍
The character 衍 puts water 氵 right in the middle of 行 (xíng), which means going or a road. Picture water running out in every direction along the roads, and you get the idea of overflowing and spreading out.
衍 rarely appears alone in modern Chinese. It mostly shows up in words like 衍生 (yǎnshēng, to derive), 繁衍 (fányǎn, to reproduce) and 敷衍 (fūyǎn). Example: 这个词是从古汉语衍生出来的。(Zhège cí shì cóng gǔ Hànyǔ yǎnshēng chūlái de.) This word is derived from Classical Chinese.
Common mistake: Learners often read 衍 as xíng because it looks like 行, but the correct pronunciation is yǎn in the third tone. Also do not confuse it with 街 (jiē, street), which has 圭 in the middle instead of 氵.
Common words with 衍
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 衍生 | yǎnshēng | to give rise to; to derive | HSK 7-9 |
| 繁衍 | fányǎn | to multiply; to reproduce | |
| 敷衍 | fūyǎn | to elaborate (on a theme); to expound (the classics) |
衍 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 衍
How many strokes are in 衍?
衍 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 衍 mean?
衍 (yǎn) means to overflow; to spread out. A common word with it is 衍生 (yǎnshēng), meaning "to give rise to; to derive".
How do you pronounce 衍?
衍 is pronounced yǎn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 衍?
The radical of 衍 is 行, which carries the idea of "to go". Dictionaries list 衍 under this radical.
Is 衍 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 衍 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What does 敷衍 mean in everyday speech?
The dictionary gives the older sense of elaborating on a theme. In everyday modern speech, though, 敷衍 (fūyǎn) usually means to do something half-heartedly or to brush someone off. For example, 别敷衍我 (bié fūyǎn wǒ) means don't just brush me off.
What is a 衍生品?
衍生品 (yǎnshēngpǐn) means a derivative product. It is used in finance for derivatives, and also for spin-off merchandise based on a film, game or brand.