(yān)

11 strokes

where

Stroke order animation

Character information

Pinyin
yān
Meaning
where; how
Strokes
11
HSK level
Traditional
Same

Origin & structure

Where comes from and how its parts fit together.

Ideograph⿳正?灬

A bird 鳥 with a strange head

A combination of parts whose meanings add up to the whole.

Made of

Parts are arranged three parts stacked.

How to write step by step

11 strokes — each frame adds one stroke, shown in dark ink over the lighter ones.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11

Words with

Common words using — tap any character to open its stroke-order page.

yān

(classical) see 于是

Open 于焉 page →
yānzhī

(literary) how is one to know?

Open 焉知 page →
yān

Yanqi county in Xinjiang

Open 焉耆 page →

to mention sth without elaborating (idiom); not giving details

Open 语焉不详 page →

Related characters

Ready to master 焉?

Trace 焉 stroke by stroke in the online practice tool, or turn it into a printable worksheet PDF with Tianzige practice grids, pinyin, and stroke-order breakdowns.