堰 (yàn) · a weir; a low dam to hold back water

Meanings

1 a weir; a low dam to hold back water

Characters

堰

yàn

weir; low dam

Examples

HSK 7-9

堰是用来拦水的矮土坝。

Yàn shì yònglái lán shuǐ de ǎi tǔ bà.

A weir is a low earthen dam built to hold water back.

Tips

history

堰 is seldom used alone, but it is alive in proper names - most famously 都江堰, the ancient Sichuan irrigation system - and in the place name 堰塘 (a small dammed pond).

Components

radical

土 tǔ

earth; soil

土 (earth) is the meaning radical, since a weir is an embankment built of packed earth.

phonetic

匽 yǎn

to lie down; hide

匽 supplies the sound, with the tone shifting from 匽 to 堰; it is the same phonetic in 偃.

Stroke Order

堰 yàn

Related Words

都江堰 Dūjiāngyàn

Dujiangyan, irrigation system on the Min River in Sichuan, built around 256 BC and still in use

低调 dīdiào HSK 7-9 #5,331

low-key; understated / low-profile

背后 bèihòu HSK 5 #2,171

behind; at the back / behind someone's back; in secret

憋 biē HSK 7-9 #6,270

to hold back; to suppress / to feel stifled or suffocated

舱 cāng HSK 7-9 #4,553

cabin / compartment / hold (of a ship or aircraft)

当年 dāngnián HSK 5 #4,457

in those days; back then / in that year

播放 bōfàng HSK 4 #4,094

to broadcast; to play (media) / to stream; to play back

撤退 chètuì HSK 7-9 #4,041

to retreat / to withdraw / to pull back

成立 chénglì HSK 5 #4,009

to establish; to found; to set up / to be tenable; to hold (of an argument)

保住 bǎozhù #3,940

to keep / to preserve / to hold on to