谚 meaning and stroke order
Proverb, maxim
How to write 谚, 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 谚
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- proverb
How 谚 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Elegant 彦 words 讠; 彦 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 讠 (words), shared by 144 characters on this site.
How to remember 谚
On the left is 讠, the speech radical, and on the right is 彦 (yàn), which suggests something fine or elegant. Elegant 彦 words 讠 that people repeat for generations become a proverb, and 彦 also tells you the sound yàn.
谚 rarely appears alone in modern speech. You will almost always see it in the word 谚语 (yànyǔ), proverb. Example: 这句谚语很有道理。(Zhè jù yànyǔ hěn yǒu dàolǐ.) This proverb makes a lot of sense.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 谚 with 彦 (yàn), which has the same sound but no speech radical. 彦 is used in names and old writing, so add 讠 when you mean proverb. Also keep the fourth tone in yànyǔ and do not say yányǔ.
Common words with 谚
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 谚语 | yànyǔ | proverb |
谚 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 谚
How many strokes are in 谚?
谚 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 谚 mean?
谚 (yàn) means proverb, maxim. A common word with it is 谚语 (yànyǔ), meaning "proverb".
How do you pronounce 谚?
谚 is pronounced yàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 谚?
The radical of 谚 is 讠, which carries the idea of "words". Dictionaries list 谚 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 谚?
The traditional form of 谚 is 諺. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 谚 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 谚语 and 成语?
谚语 (yànyǔ) are folk sayings, often full sentences in plain language, like 早起的鸟儿有虫吃. 成语 (chéngyǔ) are usually fixed four-character idioms from classical sources, like 画蛇添足.
What measure word goes with 谚语?
The usual measure word is 句 (jù), as in 一句谚语 (yí jù yànyǔ), a proverb. You may also see 条 (tiáo) in lists or written texts.