How to Say
How to Write
yàn
Radical: 土 12 strokes
Meaning: weir
💡 Remember: earth (土) blocks water to make a weir – like a mini dam.
Compounds

📚 Character Story & Explanation

堰 (yàn) meaning in English —

Along the Li River in Guangxi, farmers use ancient stone 堰 (weirs) to divert water into rice paddies. The character combines 土 (earth) with a phonetic component meaning to block. This reflects the Chinese tradition of building low dams from local materials to control irrigation without harming fish migration.

💬 Example Sentences

Common Compounds

Similar Characters — Don't Mix These Up

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