Chinese–EnglishWith examples

淹

yān · yan

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 7–9

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. to flood
  2. to submerge
  3. to drown
  4. to irritate the skin (of liquids)
  5. to delay
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In a conversation

0:21 cartoon

Water in the kitchen

  1. Liangliang

    灯灯(dēngdēng)！厨房(chúfáng)的(de)水(shuǐ)淹到(yāndào)门口(ménkǒu)了(le)！

    Dengdeng! The kitchen water has flooded to the door!

  2. Dengdeng

    糟了(zāole)，我(wǒ)洗菜(xǐcài)的(de)时候(shíhou)忘(wàng)了(le)关(guān)水龙头(shuǐlóngtóu)。

    Oh no, I forgot to turn off the tap when washing vegetables.

  3. Liangliang

    快(kuài)拿(ná)拖把(tuōbǎ)！再(zài)不(bù)拖(tuō)，水(shuǐ)要(yào)淹到(yāndào)客厅(kètīng)了(le)。

    Get the mop! If you do not mop, the water will flood the living room.

  4. Dengdeng

    我(wǒ)在(zài)拖(tuō)，可是(kěshì)水(shuǐ)比(bǐ)我(wǒ)快(kuài)。

    I am mopping, but the water is faster than me.

  5. Liangliang

    水(shuǐ)关(guān)了(le)。你(nǐ)看(kàn)，地板(dìbǎn)洗(xǐ)得(de)很(hěn)干净(gānjìng)。

    The water is off. Look, the floor got very clean.

  6. Dengdeng

    对(duì)，我(wǒ)是(shì)故意(gùyì)的(de)。

    Right, I did it on purpose.

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

暴(bào)雨(yǔ)过(guò)后(hòu)，洪(hóng)水(shuǐ)淹(yān)了(le)村(cūn)边(biān)的(de)农(nóng)田(tián)。

After the heavy rain, the flood submerged the farmland near the village.

02

他(tā)不(bù)小(xiǎo)心(xīn)掉(diào)进(jìn)河(hé)里(lǐ)，差(chà)点(diǎn)被(bèi)水(shuǐ)淹(yān)死(sǐ)。

He accidentally fell into the river and nearly drowned.

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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