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March 24, 2026
顏yán(yan2)
The character 顏 (yán) refers to the face or facial appearance of a person. It is often used in contexts discussing beauty, expressions, or overall appearance, and can also relate to the concept of 'face' in terms of reputation or social standing in Chinese culture.
Strokes18Radical頁Frequency#63052DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, having a good 顏 (yán) is often associated with social status and respect. The concept of 'face' (面子, miànzi) is crucial in social interactions, influencing personal and professional relationships.
Memory Tip
Imagine a 'yán' (颜) face that is so vibrant and expressive that it lights up the room. The character looks like a person with a face (the top part resembling a head) sitting under a roof, suggesting the importance of one's appearance in a home or community.
Meanings of 顏
yán(yan2)
1face, facial appearance
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 顏
顏Simplified
18Strokes
頁Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 顏
Podcast: 顏
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AI Study Notes for 顏
Quick Contrast
容 (róng) - use 顏 when specifically discussing facial appearance; use 容 for broader concepts of appearance or form.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a 'yán' (颜) face that is so vibrant and expressive that it lights up the room. The character looks like a person with a face (the top part resembling a head) sitting under a roof, suggesting the importance of one's appearance in a home or community.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 顏 (yán) with similar-sounding words that have different meanings, like 言 (yán) meaning 'speech'. This character is more common in formal contexts, so use it appropriately when discussing appearances or social status.
HSK Study Tips
Although 顏 is not officially part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects with other characters related to appearance and emotion, such as 情 (qíng) meaning 'feeling'. Focus on recognizing how it combines with other components, like in the word 面 (miàn) for 'face'.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, having a good 顏 (yán) is often associated with social status and respect. The concept of 'face' (面子, miànzi) is crucial in social interactions, influencing personal and professional relationships.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 顏 (yán) with similar-looking characters, such as 颜 (yán), which is the simplified form. Remember that 顏 is traditional and may be used in more formal or literary contexts.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 顏
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Cultural Notes for 顏
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, having a good 顏 (yán) is often associated with social status and respect. The concept of 'face' (面子, miànzi) is crucial in social interactions, influencing personal and professional relationships.
Word Family of 顏
Words Containing This Character20
颜色yánsècolor顏色
颜yáncolor顏
颜料paint顏料
颜面face顏面
容颜róngyánmien容顏
红颜youths紅顏
五颜六色wǔyánliùsèmulti-colored五顏六色
汗颜to blush with shame (literary)汗顏
喜笑颜开beaming with happiness喜笑顏開
笑逐颜开all smiles笑逐顏開
强颜欢笑to pretend to look happy強顏歡笑
和颜悦色amiable manner和顏悅色
厚颜无耻shameless厚顏無恥
颜真卿Yan Zhenqing (709-785), a leading calligrapher of the Tang Dynasty顏真卿
开颜to smile開顏
厚颜shameless厚顏
红颜薄命beautiful women suffer unhappy fates (idiom)紅顏薄命
颜渊Yan Yuan (521-481 BC), disciple of Confucius 孔夫子[Kǒngfūzǐ], also known as 顏回|颜回[YánHuí]顏淵
奴颜婢膝bending and scraping to curry favor奴顏婢膝
颜体Yan Style (in Chinese calligraphy)顏體
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 颜色 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 顏
It's often used to describe someone's appearance or to discuss beauty in a more formal context.
Yes, expressions like '保住面子' (bǎo zhù miànzi) which means 'to save face' are commonly used.
Yes, it can be synonymous with 面 (miàn), but 顏 specifically emphasizes the facial aspect.
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