焉

Translingual

Han character

焉 (Kangxi radical 86, 火+7, 11 strokes, cangjie input 一卜中火 (MYLF), four-corner 1032₇, composition ⿱正⿹⿺㇉一灬)

Derived characters

• 傿, 嘕, 墕, 嫣, 㥼, 𢳃, 漹, 𨻳, 㯊, 𣩙, 𤎄, 𭿖, 䗡, 𧽞, 鄢, 蔫, 篶

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 672, character 21
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 19076
• Dae Jaweon: page 1081, character 4
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 3, page 2206, character 14
• Unihan data for U+7109

Chinese

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 焉
Warring States	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)
Bronze inscriptions	Small seal script

Possibly phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *qran, *ɢan, *qan) : phonetic 正 (OC *tjeŋ, *tjeŋs) + semantic 鳥 (“bird”) ― a kind of bird.

Etymology

“in it; on it; here”

From 於 (OC *qa) + *-n (“demonstrative suffix”), an element equivalent to 之 (“him; her; it”) (Schuessler, 2007; Pulleyblank, 1995). Smith, 2012 identifies this latter element as 是 (OC *djeʔ), with d canonicalized to n in coda. Compare 爰 (OC *ɢʷan).

“where; how”

Probably a variant of 安 (OC *qaːn, “where; how”) (Schuessler, 2007).

Pronunciation 1

Definitions

焉

1. ^† a kind of yellow bird, found around the Yangtze and Huai Rivers
2. ^† in it; on it; to it; from it; by it; than it; here

   • 眾惡之，必察焉；眾好之，必察焉。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     众恶之，必察焉；众好之，必察焉。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Zhòng wù zhī, bì chá yān; zhòng hào zhī, bì chá yān.

     When the multitude hate a man, it is necessary to examine into the case. When the multitude like a man, it is necessary to examine into the case.

   • 晉國，天下莫強焉。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     晋国，天下莫强焉。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE

     Jìnguó, tiānxià mò qiáng yān.

     As for Jin, in this world there used to be no country stronger than it.

   • 余甚惑焉。 [Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]

     From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

     Yú shèn huò yān.

     I feel much perplexed by this.

3. ^† Final modal particle, used to show a particular state or express affirmation, doubt or exclamation.

   Synonyms: 哉 (zāi), 乎

   • 此何以稱焉？ [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     此何以称焉？ [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

     Cǐ hé yǐ chēng yān?

     How would one explain it?

Pronunciation 2

Definitions

焉

1. ^† (interrogative) how? why? where? when?
   • 焉知非福？ [Classical Chinese]  ―  Yān zhī fēi fú?   ―  How could one have known that it would not be fortuitous?
2. ^† thereupon; therefore; then

   • 聖人以治天下為事者也，必知亂之所自起，焉能治之，不知亂之所自起，則不能治。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     圣人以治天下为事者也，必知乱之所自起，焉能治之，不知乱之所自起，则不能治。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Mozi, c. 4^th century BCE

     Shèngrén yǐ zhì tiānxià wéi shì zhě yě, bì zhī luàn zhī suǒ zì qǐ, yān néng zhì zhī, bù zhī luàn zhī suǒ zì qǐ, zé bù néng zhì.

     The wise man who has charge of governing the empire should know the cause of disorder before he can put it in order. Unless he knows its cause, he cannot regulate it.

Compounds

References

• Dictionary of Chinese Character Variants (教育部異體字字典), A02409
• “焉”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎, 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–

Japanese

Kanji

(uncommon “Hyōgai” kanji)

1. how? why? where?
2. this, here
3. indicates state of being
4. a final modal particle used in classical Chinese texts

Readings

• On (unclassified): えん (en); い (i)
• Kun: いずくんぞ (izukunzo, 焉んぞ); これ (kore, 焉); ここに (kokoni, 焉に); すなわち (sunawachi)

References

Korean

Hanja

焉 (eumhun 어찌 언 (eojji eon))

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Vietnamese

Han character

焉: Hán Nôm readings: vờn, yên

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.