Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
妟 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
妟yànbanquet, feast; to entertainx, 7 strokes, radical 女
yàn(yan4) T4
  1. 1banquet, feast; to entertain
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

妟yàn(yan4)

The character 妟 (yàn) refers to a banquet or feast, emphasizing the act of entertaining guests with food and hospitality. It is commonly used in contexts related to celebrations, gatherings, and social events where food plays a central role in hospitality.

Strokes7Radical女
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, banquets are significant social events often held during festivals, weddings, and important celebrations. The act of hosting a banquet is seen as a reflection of one's hospitality and social standing.

Memory Tip

Imagine a grand banquet where guests are entertained with delicious dishes. The character 妟 combines the radical for 'female' (女) and 'to entertain' (宴), suggesting a hostess preparing a lavish feast. Visualize a woman (女) joyfully serving food at a banquet (宴) to create a memorable connection.

Meanings of 妟

yàn(yan4)
1banquet, feast; to entertain
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 妟

妟Simplified
7Strokes
女Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 妟

JasonAmy

Podcast: 妟

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 妟

Usage Notes

This character is primarily used in formal contexts, such as invitations or descriptions of events. Learners should be cautious not to confuse it with more casual terms for meals or gatherings. Common collocations include 妟席 (yànxí, banquet table) and 妟会 (yànhuì, banquet meeting).

HSK Study Tips

While 妟 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it can be linked to words like 宴会 (yànhuì, banquet) and 招待 (zhāodài, to entertain) at a similar level. Focus on recognizing the context in which it appears and how it relates to social gatherings.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 妟 with similar-sounding characters. For example, using 妟 (yàn) when they mean 聚 (jù, gathering) can lead to misunderstanding. It's important to use 妟 in contexts strictly related to banquets or formal entertaining.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 妟

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 妟 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 妟

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

A woman 女 cooking food 日 for a 宀 banquet; compare 宴

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 妟

  1. 1The giveawayA woman 女 cooking food 日 for a 宀 banquet; compare 宴
  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 妟? 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 妟?

Decomposition of 妟

IDS Structure⿱日女
妟Full Character
=
日Ri4
top
女nü3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 妟?

How to say banquet, feast; to entertain in Chinese

“banquet, feast; to entertain” in Chinese is妟yàn

The character 妟 (yàn) refers to a banquet or feast, emphasizing the act of entertaining guests with food and hospitality. It is commonly used in contexts related to celebrations, gatherings, and social events where food plays a central role in hospitality.

When to use 妟

This character is primarily used in formal contexts, such as invitations or descriptions of events. Learners should be cautious not to confuse it with more casual terms for meals or gatherings. Common collocations include 妟席 (yànxí, banquet table) and 妟会 (yànhuì, banquet meeting).

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 妟 with similar-sounding characters. For example, using 妟 (yàn) when they mean 聚 (jù, gathering) can lead to misunderstanding. It's important to use 妟 in contexts strictly related to banquets or formal entertaining.

Write 妟

妟

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Frequently Asked Questions about 妟

妟 specifically emphasizes the act of entertaining guests, while 宴 can refer to the banquet itself.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 妟?

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.