堰 (yàn) - Weir & dam

堰Tone 4

yàn ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

妍嬿

堰 · yàn

Weir;

dam;

embankment — a low dam or barrier built across a river to raise the water level or divert its flow.

Weirdamembankment — a low dam or barrier built

Usage highlights

Weir/damDujiangyan irrigation systemDam bodyWeir gateOverflow weirCheck dam

Synonyms

  • 坝— dam, embankment
  • 堤— dike, embankment

Antonyms

  • 渠— canal, channel (for water flow rather than blocking)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • They built a weir to control the river flow (堰).
  • The ancient irrigation system used diversion dams (堰坝).
  • This is a famous historical water control project (都江堰, Dujiangyan).
  • The river was dammed up (被堰塞).

Collocations

  • Weir/dam(堰)
  • Dujiangyan irrigation system(都江堰)
  • Dam body(堰体)
  • Weir gate(堰闸)
  • Overflow weir(溢流堰)
  • Check dam(拦河堰)

Idioms

  • Dujiangyan irrigation system(都江堰)
  • Dammed lake(堰塞湖)
  • Building dams and weirs(筑堰拦水)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Dujiangyan (都江堰) is a famous ancient irrigation system in Sichuan, built around 256 BC, still in use today.
  • In Chinese hydraulic engineering history, weirs and dams were crucial for flood control and irrigation.
  • The character appears in many place names related to water management infrastructure.

FAQ