巘 (yǎn) - Yan — a high, steep mountain peak & a jagged, precipitous summit.

巘Tone 3

yǎn ｜ 23 strokes ｜ radical:

妍嬿

巘 · yǎn

Yan — a high, steep mountain peak;

a jagged, precipitous summit.

Yan — a high, steep mountain peaka jagged, precipitous summit.

Usage highlights

Steep peakJagged summitPerilous peakTowering cragMountain ridgeCliff face

Synonyms

  • 峰— peak, summit
  • 巅— mountain top, summit
  • 峦— mountain range, hill

Antonyms

  • 谷— valley
  • 渊— deep pool, abyss

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The mountain peak is steep and dangerous (巘岩).
  • They climbed the jagged summit (峻巘).
  • The poem describes a perilous peak (危巘).
  • A towering crag (巉巘) loomed above.

Collocations

  • Steep peak(巘岩)
  • Jagged summit(峻巘)
  • Perilous peak(危巘)
  • Towering crag(巉巘)
  • Mountain ridge(巘岭)
  • Cliff face(巘壁)

Idioms

  • Towering peaks and perilous ridges(层峦叠巘)
  • Precipitous cliffs and jagged peaks(峭壁危巘)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Primarily a literary character found in classical Chinese poetry and landscape descriptions.
  • Evokes imagery of majestic, untamed nature, often symbolizing challenge or lofty ideals.
  • Rarely used in modern vernacular but retains a strong classical aesthetic in literary contexts.

FAQ