奄 (yǎn) - To cover & to encompass

奄Tone 3

yǎn ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 大

妍嬿

奄 · yǎn

To cover;

to encompass;

suddenly;

abruptly;

an ancient state name;

also used in transcription.

To coverto encompasssuddenly

Usage highlights

SuddenlyTo cover completelyAncient State of YanAbruptlyTo encompassYan people

Synonyms

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The sky suddenly darkened (天色奄变).
  • He covered the wound with his hand (用手奄住伤口).
  • The ancient State of Yan (奄国) existed during the Shang dynasty.

Collocations

  • Suddenly(奄然)
  • To cover completely(奄有)
  • Ancient State of Yan(奄国)
  • Abruptly(奄忽)
  • To encompass(奄盖)
  • Yan people(奄人)

Idioms

  • Suddenly and unexpectedly(奄然而逝)
  • To cover the whole world(奄有天下)
  • In the blink of an eye(奄忽之间)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically refers to the State of Yan, a vassal state during the Shang dynasty.
  • Used in classical texts to denote suddenness or covering, carrying a sense of abrupt change or completeness.

FAQ