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March 24, 2026
艳(艶)yàn(yan4)
The character 艳 (yàn) primarily means colorful, splendid, or gaudy, and is often used to describe things that are visually striking or beautiful. It can also carry romantic connotations, referring to something amorous or sensual. In contexts of envy, it may describe a person’s glamorous or attractive qualities that others admire.
Strokes10Radical色Frequency#4293DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of beauty and splendor is often celebrated in literature and art, where 艳 may describe the idealized beauty of a person or scene, reflecting traditional values of aesthetics and harmony.
Memory Tip
Imagine a vibrant, colorful garden (艳) filled with beautiful flowers, representing the splendor and allure associated with the character. The 'y' sound in yàn can remind you of 'yarn,' weaving together a story of beauty and charm that captivates the heart.
Meanings of 艳
yàn(yan4)
1colorful
2splendid
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 艳
艳Simplified
艶Traditional
10Strokes
色Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#4293Frequency Rank
Podcast: 艳
Podcast: 艳
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AI Study Notes for 艳
Quick Contrast
艳 (yàn) vs 美 (měi) — choose 艳 for colorful or gaudy beauty, while 美 emphasizes pure or graceful beauty.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a vibrant, colorful garden (艳) filled with beautiful flowers, representing the splendor and allure associated with the character. The 'y' sound in yàn can remind you of 'yarn,' weaving together a story of beauty and charm that captivates the heart.
Usage Notes
When using 艳, be mindful of its connotation; it can imply a level of extravagance or gaudiness that may not always be positive. It is often used in both formal and informal contexts, particularly in descriptions of fashion or art. Avoid mixing it up with other similar-sounding words that may have different meanings.
HSK Study Tips
While 艳 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, its connections to beauty and color link it to other words at the beginner level, such as 美 (měi) for beautiful and 色 (sè) for color. Focus on practicing its pronunciation and context of use in descriptive language.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of beauty and splendor is often celebrated in literature and art, where 艳 may describe the idealized beauty of a person or scene, reflecting traditional values of aesthetics and harmony.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 艳 with 艳丽 (yànlì), which means beautiful and splendid but carries a more positive connotation. Avoid using 艳 in contexts where you want to emphasize pure beauty without the nuances of gaudiness.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 艳
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Grammar Patterns of 艳
艳 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 9 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
有时跳这种舞的人会手拿色彩鲜____的丝巾。
Sometimes the people doing this dance hold brightly colored scarves.
Example Sentences for 艳 (10)
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1
有时跳这种舞的人会手拿色彩鲜艳的丝巾。
yǒu shí tiào zhè zhǒng wǔ de rén huì shǒu ná sè cǎi xiān yàn de sī jīn。
Sometimes the people doing this dance hold brightly colored scarves.
The book's 85 colour lithographic plates look staggeringly fresh and bold.
5
每个房间都以淡雅或鲜艳的颜色和印花图案装饰成独特的风格。
měi gè fáng jiān dū yǐ dàn yǎ huò xiān yàn de yán sè hé yìn huā tú àn zhuāng shì chéng dú tè de fēng gé。
Each room is distinctively decorated with light, bright colors and floral prints.
6
涂有深色唇彩的嘴唇看上去和浓艳的眼妆不相称。
tú yǒu shēn sè chún cǎi de zuǐ chún kàn shàng qù hé nóng yàn de yǎn zhuāng bù xiāng chēng。
Very dark glossy lips look wrong with heavily made-up eyes.
7
他利用半透明瓷漆绘制出鲜艳生动的图画。
tā lì yòng bàn tòu míng cí qī huì zhì chū xiān yàn shēng dòng de tú huà。
He relied on translucent enamels to produce vivid, glowing pictures.
8
很多雄鸟进化出鲜艳的羽毛是为了吸引雌鸟。
hěn duō xióng niǎo jìn huà chū xiān yàn de yǔ máo shì wéi le xī yǐn cí niǎo。
The bright plumage of many male birds has evolved to attract females.
9
她首次出现在伦敦社交界便艳惊四座，被视为同龄人里最美丽的年轻女子。
tā shǒu cì chū xiàn zài lún dūn shè jiāo jiè biàn yàn jīng sì zuò， ， bèi shì wéi tóng líng rén lǐ zuì měi lì de nián qīng nǚ。
She dazzled London society as the most beautiful debutante of her generation.
10
40年来，她那令人惊艳的美貌让全世界为之痴迷。
40 40 nián， lái ， tā nà líng rén jīng yàn de měi mào ràng quán shì jiè wéi zhī。
For 40 years she has captivated the world with her radiant looks.
Cultural Notes for 艳
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of beauty and splendor is often celebrated in literature and art, where 艳 may describe the idealized beauty of a person or scene, reflecting traditional values of aesthetics and harmony.
Word Family of 艳
Compounds1
滟yan4billowing, overflowing; wavy
Words Containing This Character19
艳yàncolorful艷
鲜艳xiānyànbright-colored鮮艷
美艳glamorous美艷
艳丽yànlìgorgeous艷麗
娇艳tender and beautiful嬌豔
妖艳pretty and flirtatious妖艷
香艳alluring香艷
冷艳cool and elegant冷艷
艳羡to envy艷羨
浓妆艳抹to apply makeup conspicuously (idiom)濃妝艷抹
艳福luck with women艷福
艳阳天bright sunny day豔陽天
浓艳rich濃艷
吐艳to burst into bloom吐艷
红艳艳brilliant red紅艷艷
艳照nude picture艷照
猎艳to chase women獵艷
艳情romance艷情
竞艳beauty contest競艷
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 滟 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 艳
It is pronounced as 'yàn' with the fourth tone, which is a falling tone.
Yes, while it primarily describes physical beauty, it can also imply someone's romantic or charming qualities.
It can be both; it depends on the context in which it is used. It can describe something beautiful but also something overly extravagant.
