砚 (yàn): ink-stone
砚 (yàn) is a Chinese character meaning “ink-stone.” Outside the HSK 3.0 syllabus (CLEC 2022), it is composed of 石 (semantic) and 见 (phonetic). It ranks #5160 in character frequency (SUBTLEX-CH corpus).
Etymologically derived, 砚 stone. Its radical form 石 (stone) appears in many related characters such as 石 (shí, stone), 破 (pò, break), 研 (yán, to research, to grind).
Definitions
- ink-stone
Etymology & Origin
Stroke Order
Practice writing 砚 with real-time feedback — trace each stroke in the correct order and build muscle memory in the HanziFeed app.
Words & Compounds
Common Compounds
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 砚台 | yàn tái | ink stone |
| 砚水壶儿 | yàn shuǐ hú r | water container for an ink slab |
| 磨穿铁砚phrase | mó chuān tiě yàn | to grind one's way through an ink stone |
| 程砚秋 | chéng yàn qiū | Cheng Yanqiu (1904-1958), famous Beijing opera star, second only to 梅蘭芳|梅兰芳 |
| 砚山县 | yàn shān xiàn | Yanshan, a county in Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture 文山壯族苗族自治州|文山壮族苗族自治州[Wen2 shan1 Zhuang4 zu2 Miao2 z... |
| 同砚noun | tóng yàn | classmate |
| 砚山 | yàn shān | see 硯山縣|砚山县 |
| 砚友 | yàn yǒu | classmate |
| 砚石 | yàn shí | ink stone |
| 广砚 | guǎng yàn | Guangnan and Yanshan (in Yunnan) |
| 古砚 | gǔ yàn | antique ink slab |
| 砚室 | yàn shì | case for an ink slab |
| 砚弟 | yàn dì | younger fellow student |
| 笔砚 | bǐ yàn | writing brush and ink stone |
| 砚兄 | yàn xiōng | senior fellow student |
砚 appears in 30 compound words: 53 as the first character, 43 as the last, and 3 in a middle position. Compound statistics computed from SUBTLEX-CH and HSK 3.0 vocabulary data.
Idioms & Chengyu (2)
Example Sentences
澄泥砚主题小院一角。
chéng ní yàn zhǔ tí xiǎo yuàn yī jiǎo .
A corner of the courtyard featuring a "Clear Mud Inkstone" theme.
探访贺兰砚传承人：执刀琢石 让贺兰砚走出书案赴烟火
tàn fǎng hè lán yàn chuán chéng rén : zhí dāo zhuó shí ràng hè lán yàn zǒu chū shū àn fù yān huǒ
A Visit with a He Lan Inkstone Master: Carving Stone with a Chisel, Bringing He Lan Inkstones from the Writing Desk into Everyday Life
文物保护工作者杨月红身着黑色宋制长袍，面前摆着一方青绿色砚台和一支小巧的毛笔。
wén wù bǎo hù gōng zuò zhě yáng yuè hóng shēn zhe hēi sè sòng zhì cháng páo , miàn qián bǎi zhe yī fāng qīng lǜ sè yàn tái hé yī zhī xiǎo qiǎo de máo bǐ .
Yang Yuehong, a cultural heritage preservation specialist, is dressed in a black Song-dynasty-style robe, with a blue-green inkstone and a small calligraphy brush set out before her.
尼山砚始于唐宋、盛于明清，曾为贡品。
ní shān yàn shǐ yú táng sòng , shèng yú míng qīng , céng wéi gòng pǐn .
Nishan inkstones originated in the Tang and Song dynasties and reached their peak during the Ming and Qing dynasties; they were once offered as tribute.
据清代《武昌县志》载：“武昌有陶土……可以为器”，“器之属有陶砚”。
jù qīng dài wǔ chāng xiàn zhì zài : wǔ chāng yǒu táo tǔ kě yǐ wéi qì , qì zhī shǔ yǒu táo yàn .
According to the Qing Dynasty *Chronicles of Wuchang County*: “Wuchang has clay … that can be used to make vessels,” and “among these vessels are ceramic inkstones.”
Character Family
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 砚 (yàn) mean in Chinese?
What's the difference between 砚 and 舰?
How many strokes does 砚 have?
What is the radical of 砚?
What are the components of 砚?
What are common words containing 砚?
Is 砚 the same in simplified and traditional Chinese?
Practice writing 砚 with real-time feedback
Trace stroke sequences, hear spoken pronunciation, and build lasting retention with spaced repetition in the HanziFeed app.