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咽

Character

咽 yàn · yān · yè

HSK 7–9Character3 readings

to swallow

Radical
口
Strokes
9
Structure
Left–right
Parts
口因
Traditional
咽
Frequency
#2957 most common character
Practice writing

Readings and meanings

yān

yan1Reading 2Rare reading

This reading is uncommon in everyday Chinese; the main reading is yàn.

  1. throat (as in 咽喉); the passage in your neck for food and air
  2. a narrow mountain pass (as in 咽喉要地)

Examples

  • 我的咽喉疼，今天不能唱歌。

    wǒ de yān hóu téng, jīn tiān bù néng chàng gē

    My throat hurts, so I can't sing today.

    AI-generated sentence

  • 医生看了看我的咽喉。

    yī shēng kàn le kàn wǒ de yān hóu

    The doctor looked at my throat.

    AI-generated sentence

  • 这是通往山里的咽喉要地。

    zhè shì tōng wǎng shān lǐ de yān hóu yào dì

    This is a key mountain pass leading into the mountains.

    AI-generated sentence

Words that use “咽” as yān

咽喉yān hóuthe throatWordHSK 7–9下咽xià yān(anatomy) hypopharynxWord+1 reading前咽qián yānprepharynxWord咽头yān tóupharynxWord咽峡yān xiáisthmus of the faucesWord咽炎yān yánpharyngitisWord喉咽hóu yānlaryngopharynxWord鼻咽bí yānnose and throatWord

yè

ye4Reading 3Rare reading

This reading is uncommon in everyday Chinese; the main reading is yàn.

  1. to sob; to cry with short, choking sounds (as in 呜咽)

Examples

  • 孩子呜咽着，非常难过。

    hái zi wū yè zhe fēi cháng nán guò

    The child was sobbing and felt very sad.

    AI-generated sentence

  • 听到这个消息，他呜咽起来。

    tīng dào zhè ge xiāo xi tā wū yè qǐ lái

    After hearing the news, he began to sob.

    AI-generated sentence

Words that use “咽” as yè

呜咽wū yèto cry with small, sad soundsWordHSK 7–9哽咽gěng yèto choke with emotionWord抽咽chōu yèto sobWord
梗咽gěng yèto choke with emotionVariant of 哽咽WordUnreviewed

Stroke order

All 9 strokes

Speed

Practice writing 咽

Draw “咽” here — the faint guide shows its shape.

See all 26 words with 咽 →

Same radical 口

All characters with 口 →
和hé吗ma嗎ma可kě后hòu名míng台tái同tóng员yuán員yuán喜xǐ噹dāng