閼 (è) - To block & to obstruct

閼Tone 4

è ｜ 16 strokes ｜ radical:

丁恩

閼 · è

To block;

to obstruct;

to stop up;

also used in historical names and terms, such as the Xiongnu title Yanzhi.

To blockto obstructto stop up

Usage highlights

YanzhiYanxiYanseYanjuYanliuYanfeng

Synonyms

  • 阻— to obstruct; to hinder
  • 塞— to block; to stop up

Antonyms

  • 通— to open; to clear; to pass through

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The drain was blocked (閼塞).
  • Historical title Yanzhi (閼氏), referring to a Xiongnu queen.
  • The ancient city of Yānzhī (閼支).
  • Yanxi (閼隙) means a narrow gap.

Collocations

  • Yanzhi (閼氏) — Xiongnu queen consort
  • Yanxi (閼隙) — narrow gap
  • Yanse (閼塞) — to block up
  • Yanju (閼居) — ancient place name
  • Yanliu (閼流) — obstructed flow
  • Yanfeng (閼逢) — ancient calendrical term

Idioms

  • Yanzhi (閼氏) — Xiongnu queen consort title
  • Yanfeng (閼逢) — first of the ten Heavenly Stems in ancient Chinese astronomy

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Used in historical contexts, especially relating to the Xiongnu and their titles.
  • Appears in ancient Chinese astronomical and calendrical systems.
  • Rare in modern usage, primarily found in classical texts and historical names.

FAQ