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芫 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
芫yuána poisonous plant; Daphne genkwan, 7 strokes, radical 艹
芫yuánlilac daphne (Daphne genkwa), used in Chinese herbal medicineunknown, 7 strokes, radical 艹
芫yána poisonous plant; Daphne genkwan, 7 strokes, radical 艹
芫yánlilac daphne (Daphne genkwa), used in Chinese herbal medicineunknown, 7 strokes, radical 艹
yán(yan2)
primary
 T2
  1. 1a poisonous plant; Daphne genkwa
  2. 2lilac daphne (Daphne genkwa), used in Chinese herbal medicine
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

芫yán(yan2)

The character 芫 (yán) refers to a specific type of poisonous plant known as Daphne genkwa or lilac daphne. This plant is noted for its medicinal properties in traditional Chinese herbal medicine, although its toxic nature requires caution in its use.

Strokes7Radical艹
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the use of plants like 芫 reflects a deep understanding of nature and its potential benefits and dangers, showcasing the balance between healing and toxicity.

Memory Tip

Imagine a plant with purple flowers (like lilacs) that you should only admire from a distance because it’s poisonous. The character 芫 visually resembles a plant's leaves, and the 'yán' sound can remind you of 'yarn' which you should not use to play with this dangerous plant.

Meanings of 芫

yán(yan2)
primary
1a poisonous plant; Daphne genkwa
2lilac daphne (Daphne genkwa), used in Chinese herbal medicine
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 芫

芫Simplified
7Strokes
艹Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 芫

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Podcast: 芫

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AI Study Notes for 芫

Usage Notes

This term is quite specialized and primarily used in herbal medicine contexts. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words. It is more formal and scientific, so avoid using it in casual conversations.

HSK Study Tips

Although 芫 is not included in the HSK levels, it connects well to other plant-related vocabulary. Students should pay attention to botanical terms and their uses to enhance their understanding of Chinese herbal medicine.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 芫 with similar plant names or mispronounce it, leading to misunderstandings. For instance, saying 'yan' instead of 'yán' can change the meaning, as tones are crucial in Mandarin.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 芫

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Etymology of 芫

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

plant

Semantic (meaning)艹
+
Phonetic (sound)元
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 芫

  1. 1The meaning half艹 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half元 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayplant
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 芫? 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 芫?

Decomposition of 芫

IDS Structure⿱艹元
芫Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
元Yuan2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 芫?

How to say a poisonous plant; Daphne genkwa in Chinese

“a poisonous plant; Daphne genkwa” in Chinese is芫yuán

The character 芫 (yán) refers to a specific type of poisonous plant known as Daphne genkwa or lilac daphne. This plant is noted for its medicinal properties in traditional Chinese herbal medicine, although its toxic nature requires caution in its use.

When to use 芫

This term is quite specialized and primarily used in herbal medicine contexts. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words. It is more formal and scientific, so avoid using it in casual conversations.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 芫 with similar plant names or mispronounce it, leading to misunderstandings. For instance, saying 'yan' instead of 'yán' can change the meaning, as tones are crucial in Mandarin.

Write 芫

芫

Practice writing 芫 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 芫

Words Containing This Character3
芫荽coriander (Coriandrum sativum)
芫yánlilac daphne (Daphne genkwa), used in Chinese herbal medicine
芫花lilac daphne
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 芫荽 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 芫

Due to its poisonous nature, 芫 must be used with extreme caution and ideally under the supervision of a qualified herbalist.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 芫?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.