匽 (yǎn) · to hide; to conceal (archaic)

Meanings

1 to hide; to conceal (archaic)
2 to stop; to lay aside (archaic, variant of 偃)
3 a pit or pool for collecting filthy water (archaic)
4 Yan, a rare Chinese surname

Characters

匽

yǎn

to hide; to lay aside (archaic)

Examples

HSK 7-9

海内安宁，兴文匽武。

Hǎinèi ānníng, xīng wén yǎn wǔ.

Within the seas all is at peace; civilization flourishes and arms are laid aside.

HSK 7-9

除其井匽，去其恶臭。

Chú qí jǐng yǎn, qù qí èchòu.

Drain the cesspits and clear away the stench.

Tips

history

Attested in the 《周礼》 for the cesspit / drainage-pool sense, and in the 《汉书·礼乐志》 - 兴文匽武 ('promote letters, lay arms aside') - where Yan Shigu glosses 匽 as a variant of 偃 ('cease, lay flat'). The character was always rare and is replaced today by 偃 or 隐.

register

Archaic - definitions follow classical attestation only. You meet 匽 in commentary editions of 《周礼》 and 《汉书》, and occasionally in personal-name attestations from the Spring-and-Autumn state of 齐. Modern Chinese uses 偃, 隐, or 掩 for these senses.

Components

radical

匚 fāng

right-facing enclosure; basket

Outer 匚 (Kangxi #22, the basket / enclosure radical, opening to the right) - semantically anchors the meaning 'hide / conceal inside an enclosure'. Same radical drives 匹, 区, 医, 匪.

phonetic

妟 yàn

peace; calm

Inner 妟 (a sun + woman element meaning 'peace, calm') gives the sound (yàn → yǎn). Same phonetic in 偃 (lie down), 晏 (late, calm).