Dong Chinese dictionary

yán

face

Phonosemantic compound. 頁 represents the meaning and 彥 represents the sound.

Components

彥 Sound component

yàn

elegant

頁 Meaning component

yè, xié

(head), page

Depicts a head.

Evolution

Bronze script

Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Regular script

Modern

Definitions

yán

face, facial appearance; color; face; countenance

Yán

surname Yan

Most common words with 顏

Sources