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March 24, 2026
颜(顏)yán(Yan2)
颜 (yán) primarily refers to the concept of 'face' or 'countenance,' encompassing both the physical appearance and the expression of a person. It can also denote color in certain contexts, particularly in artistic or descriptive language. As a surname, it is quite common among Chinese people.
Strokes15Radical页Frequency#10331DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 'face' (颜) is crucial as it relates to social reputation and personal dignity. The idea of maintaining 'face' is significant in interpersonal relationships and social interactions.
Memory Tip
Imagine a face (颜) that is painted with bright colors, representing the dual meanings of 'face' and 'color.' The character has a 'face' radical (亻) on the left, symbolizing people, while the right side (言) suggests speech, linking the idea of facial expression to communication.
Meanings of 颜
yán(Yan2)
1color
2face
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 颜
颜Simplified
顏Traditional
15Strokes
页Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#10331Frequency Rank
Podcast: 颜
Podcast: 颜
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AI Study Notes for 颜
Quick Contrast
颜 (yán) vs 面 (miàn) — use 颜 for nuances of expression or countenance, while 面 refers more to the surface or physical aspect of the face.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a face (颜) that is painted with bright colors, representing the dual meanings of 'face' and 'color.' The character has a 'face' radical (亻) on the left, symbolizing people, while the right side (言) suggests speech, linking the idea of facial expression to communication.
Usage Notes
In informal contexts, 颜 can be used to describe someone's appearance or mood, while in formal settings, it may refer to facial expressions in literature or art discussions. A common mistake is confusing it with the character '颜料' (yánliào), which specifically means 'pigment' or 'paint.'
HSK Study Tips
Although 颜 is not included in HSK levels, it connects with other characters related to appearance and emotions. Students should focus on pronunciation and the usage of 颜 in phrases like '颜值' (yánzhí), meaning attractiveness.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 'face' (颜) is crucial as it relates to social reputation and personal dignity. The idea of maintaining 'face' is significant in interpersonal relationships and social interactions.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 颜 with the character '面' (miàn), which also means 'face.' For example, saying '我喜欢他的面' (wǒ xǐhuān tā de miàn) instead of '我喜欢他的颜' (wǒ xǐhuān tā de yán) can lead to misunderstandings.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 颜
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Grammar Patterns of 颜
颜 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 7 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
The badges come in twenty different colours and shapes.
8
笨重的深色桌子上嵌有颜色较浅的木头。
bèn zhòng de shēn sè zhuō zǐ shàng qiàn yǒu yán sè jiào qiǎn de mù tóu。
The heavy dark table is inlaid with lighter wood.
9
安妮认为梅维斯是个厚颜无耻的骗子，这显然是经过一番深思熟虑后才得出的看法。
ān nī rèn wéi méi wéi sī shì gè hòu yán wú chǐ de piàn zǐ， ， zhè xiǎn rán shì jīng guò yī fān shēn sī shú lǜ hòu cái dé chū de kàn。
Obviously it was Anne's considered opinion that Mavis was a bold-faced liar.
10
广场上挤满了人，鹅卵石铺就的街道上满是五颜六色的花朵。
guǎng cháng shàng jǐ mǎn le rén， ， é luǎn shí pū jiù de jiē dào shàng mǎn shì wǔ yán liù sè de huā。
The square was packed, and the cobbled streets flowed with coloured petals.
Cultural Notes for 颜
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of 'face' (颜) is crucial as it relates to social reputation and personal dignity. The idea of maintaining 'face' is significant in interpersonal relationships and social interactions.
Word Family of 颜
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 颜
颜 can mean 'face' in a physical sense, but it can also imply someone's emotional expression or demeanor.
Yes, 颜 is a relatively common surname in China, often used in historical and contemporary contexts.
You can use 颜 in expressions like '他的颜值很高' (tā de yánzhí hěn gāo), meaning 'He has a high level of attractiveness.'
