演 (yǎn) - To perform, act, play a role & to evolve, develop

演Tone 3

yǎn ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

妍嬿

演 · yǎn

To perform, act, play a role;

to evolve, develop;

to deduce, infer;

to drill, practice;

to demonstrate, display.

To perform, act, play a roleto evolve, developto deduce, infer

Usage highlights

To performTo actTo evolveTo deduceTo rehearseLecture, speech

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 停滞— stagnation (antonym to evolution)
  • 真实— real, genuine (antonym to performance/acting)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He performed in a play (演戏).
  • The situation is evolving rapidly (演变).
  • She deduced the answer logically (演绎).
  • They are drilling troops (演习).
  • The software demonstrates its capabilities (演示).

Collocations

  • To perform(表演)
  • To act(演戏)
  • To evolve(演变)
  • To deduce(演绎)
  • To rehearse(排练)
  • Lecture, speech(演讲)

Idioms

  • To perform a double act, one singing the white face of the villain and one singing the red face of the hero(一个唱红脸，一个唱白脸)
  • To perform a show, put on an act(演一出戏)
  • The evolution of heaven and earth(天演)
  • Deductive reasoning(演绎推理)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character 演 combines the water radical (氵) with 寅, suggesting a flow or progression, like water, which aligns with meanings of evolution and performance.
  • In traditional Chinese theater (e.g., Peking opera), the concept of 'performing' (演) is central to cultural storytelling and artistic expression.
  • The term 演义 (yǎnyì) refers to a genre of historical fiction that dramatizes and elaborates on historical events, popularized by works like 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms' (三国演义).

FAQ