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艷 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
艷yànbeautiful, glamorous, sexy, voluptuousx, 24 strokes, radical 色
yàn(yan4) T4
  1. 1beautiful, glamorous, sexy, voluptuous
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

艷yàn(yan4)

The character 艷 (yàn) conveys the idea of beauty and glamor, often associated with a striking or alluring appearance. It is commonly used to describe someone who is not just beautiful, but also has a captivating or seductive quality. This character is frequently found in contexts related to fashion, art, and personal allure.

Strokes24Radical色
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of beauty often emphasizes not just physical appearance but also grace and poise, which is embodied in the character 艷. It appears in traditional poetry and literature, celebrating beauty in nature and people alike.

Memory Tip

Imagine a glamorous woman draped in a vibrant red (艳) gown, her beauty shining like the sun. The left radical 艹 (grass) represents growth, hinting that beauty can blossom, while the right side 𡿨 (a phonetic component) sounds like 'yàn', reinforcing the pronunciation.

Meanings of 艷

yàn(yan4)
1beautiful, glamorous, sexy, voluptuous
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 艷

艷Simplified
24Strokes
色Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 艷

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Podcast: 艷

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AI Study Notes for 艷

Quick Contrast

艳 (yàn) vs 美 (měi) — use 艳 when emphasizing allure or seduction, while 美 focuses on general beauty.

Usage Notes

Be cautious not to overuse this term in formal contexts, as it has a more informal or poetic connotation. Common collocations include phrases like '艳丽' (yànlì - gorgeous) or '艳俗' (yànsú - vulgar beauty). Ensure the tone is pronounced correctly as the wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.

HSK Study Tips

Although not included in the HSK vocabulary, 艷 can be connected to words like 美 (měi - beautiful) and 妩媚 (wǔmèi - charming). Focus on understanding its nuances in beauty-related contexts to enhance your vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 艷 with 美, using it interchangeably without considering the context. For example, saying '她很美' (tā hěn měi - she is beautiful) is correct, but saying '她很艳' (tā hěn yàn - she is glamorous) may imply a more sensual or provocative quality.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 艷

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Etymology of 艷

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

Lush 豐 and sexy 色

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 艷

  1. 1The giveawayLush 豐 and sexy 色
  2. 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 艷? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 艷?

Decomposition of 艷

IDS Structure⿰豐色
艷Full Character
=
豐feng1
left
色se4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 艷?

How to say beautiful, glamorous, sexy, voluptuous in Chinese

“beautiful, glamorous, sexy, voluptuous” in Chinese is艷yàn

The character 艷 (yàn) conveys the idea of beauty and glamor, often associated with a striking or alluring appearance. It is commonly used to describe someone who is not just beautiful, but also has a captivating or seductive quality. This character is frequently found in contexts related to fashion, art, and personal allure.

When to use 艷

Be cautious not to overuse this term in formal contexts, as it has a more informal or poetic connotation. Common collocations include phrases like '艳丽' (yànlì - gorgeous) or '艳俗' (yànsú - vulgar beauty). Ensure the tone is pronounced correctly as the wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.

艷 or something close to it

艳 (yàn) vs 美 (měi) — use 艳 when emphasizing allure or seduction, while 美 focuses on general beauty.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 艷 with 美, using it interchangeably without considering the context. For example, saying '她很美' (tā hěn měi - she is beautiful) is correct, but saying '她很艳' (tā hěn yàn - she is glamorous) may imply a more sensual or provocative quality.

Write 艷

艷

Practice writing 艷 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 艷

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 艳 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 艷

Not typically, but it can imply a sense of superficiality or objectification if used in certain contexts.

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