Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
懨 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
懨yānfeeble, sickly, weak; tranquilx, 17 strokes, radical 忄
yān(yan1) T1
  1. 1feeble, sickly, weak; tranquil
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

懨yān(yan1)

The character 懨 (yān) conveys a sense of being weak or feeble, often referring to health or vitality. It can also imply a state of tranquility or calmness, suggesting a peaceful weakness rather than a vigorous one. This duality makes it relevant in contexts discussing health, emotions, and the need for rest.

Strokes17Radical忄
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the concept of weakness or feebleness is often linked to the balance of yin and yang, suggesting that a person's health can be affected by their emotional state. This character evokes the idea of needing to rest and recuperate, which is culturally significant in discussions of well-being.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person (the character's components) lying in bed, looking weak and feeble, surrounded by calm, tranquil clouds. The clouds represent tranquility (the second meaning), and the person embodies the 'weak' aspect of the character. Visualizing this scene can help you remember the pronunciation 'yān' and its meanings.

Meanings of 懨

yān(yan1)
1feeble, sickly, weak; tranquil
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 懨

懨Simplified
17Strokes
忄Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 懨

JasonAmy

Podcast: 懨

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 懨

Usage Notes

This character is somewhat formal and may not be commonly used in everyday conversation. It is often found in literary or poetic contexts. Learners should be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words that have different meanings, particularly in tonal pronunciation.

HSK Study Tips

Although 懨 is not currently included in the HSK levels, understanding this character can enhance vocabulary related to health and emotions, which are commonly explored in beginner and intermediate levels. Focus on its usage in literary texts to grasp its nuances.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 懨 with similar characters due to pronunciation or meaning, such as 言 (yán) which means 'word.' Always double-check the context to ensure the correct character is used.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 懨

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 懨 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 懨

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

heart

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 懨

  1. 1The meaning half忄 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half厭 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayheart
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 懨? 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 懨?

Decomposition of 懨

IDS Structure⿰忄厭
懨Full Character
=
忄xin1
left
厭yan4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 懨?

How to say feeble, sickly, weak; tranquil in Chinese

“feeble, sickly, weak; tranquil” in Chinese is懨yān

The character 懨 (yān) conveys a sense of being weak or feeble, often referring to health or vitality. It can also imply a state of tranquility or calmness, suggesting a peaceful weakness rather than a vigorous one. This duality makes it relevant in contexts discussing health, emotions, and the need for rest.

When to use 懨

This character is somewhat formal and may not be commonly used in everyday conversation. It is often found in literary or poetic contexts. Learners should be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words that have different meanings, particularly in tonal pronunciation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 懨 with similar characters due to pronunciation or meaning, such as 言 (yán) which means 'word.' Always double-check the context to ensure the correct character is used.

Write 懨

懨

Practice writing 懨 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 懨

Words Containing This Character3
病恹恹looking or feeling sickly病懨懨
恹恹weak懨懨
恹yānweak懨
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 病恹恹 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 懨

While 懨 specifically emphasizes a weak or sickly state, other words may carry different connotations, such as temporary weakness versus chronic conditions.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 懨?

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.