巌 (yán) - Rock — refers to a large, steep rock & also used in proper names, particularly in Japanese

巌Tone 2

yán ｜ 19 strokes ｜ radical:

妍嬿

巌 · yán

Rock — refers to a large, steep rock or cliff;

also used in proper names, particularly in Japanese contexts.

Rock — refers to a large, steep rockalso used in proper names, particularly in Japanese

Usage highlights

Steep cliffRock formationFirm as a rockRocky mountainCliff faceStone bridge

Synonyms

  • 岩— rock, boulder
  • 石— stone
  • 磐— large rock, foundation stone

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The mountain has steep cliffs (巌).
  • This is a famous rock formation (巌).
  • The name Iwate Prefecture (岩手県) in Japan uses a variant character.
  • He stood firm as a rock (巌のように).

Collocations

  • Steep cliff(巌)
  • Rock formation(巌)
  • Firm as a rock(巌の如く)
  • Rocky mountain(巌山)
  • Cliff face(巌壁)
  • Stone bridge(巌橋)

Idioms

  • Stand firm as a rock(巌然として)
  • Rock-solid determination(巌のような決意)
  • Cliffside dwelling(巌居)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • This character is primarily used in Japanese proper names and place names.
  • In Japanese, it's a variant of 岩 (iwa, meaning 'rock') with more emphasis on large, imposing rock formations.
  • The character appears in names like Iwate Prefecture (written as 岩手 but sometimes stylized with this variant).

FAQ