Usage of the character 燕

variant of 燕 (yàn)

Yān

燕

[燕]

Yan, a vassal state of Zhou in present-day Hebei and Liaoning
north Hebei
the four Yan kingdoms of the Sixteen Kingdoms, namely: Former Yan 前燕 ( Qián Yān) (337-370), Later Yan 後燕／后燕 ( Hòu Yān) (384-409), Southern Yan 南燕 ( Nán Yān) (398-410), Northern Yan 北燕 ( Běi Yān) (409-436)
surname Yan

yàn

燕

[燕]

swallow (family Hirundinidae)
old variant of 宴 (yàn)

rǔyàn

乳燕

[乳燕]

baby swallow

yànshū

燕梳

[燕梳]

(dialect) insurance (loanword)

Hòu Yān

后燕

[後燕]

Later Yan of the Sixteen Kingdoms (384-409)

Yānjīng

燕京

[燕京]

Yanjing, an old name for Beijing
capital of Yan at different periods

Nán Yān

南燕

[南燕]

Southern Yan of the Sixteen Kingdoms (398-410)

yànmài

燕麦

[燕麥]

oats

gōngyàn

公燕

[公燕]

banquet held for high-ranking imperial or feudal officials

Yānshān

燕山

[燕山]

Yan mountain range across north Hebei

yànsǔn

燕隼

[燕隼]

(bird species of China) Eurasian hobby (Falco subbuteo)

yínyàn

银燕

[銀燕]

silver swallow
airplane (affectionate)

Běi Yān

北燕

[北燕]

Northern Yan of the Sixteen Kingdoms (409-436)

Yàncháo

燕巢

[燕巢]

Yanchao township in Kaohsiung county 高雄縣／高雄县 ( Gāoxióngxiàn), southwest Taiwan

yànwō

燕窝

[燕窩]

edible bird's nest

Yān Zhào

燕赵

[燕趙]

Yan and Zhao, two of the Warring States in Hebei and Shanxi
beautiful women
women dancers and singers

yǔyàn

雨燕

[雨燕]

swift
Apodidae (the swift family)

yíyàn

贻燕

[貽燕]

to leave peace for the future generations

yànzi

燕子

[燕子]

swallow

yángyàn

洋燕

[洋燕]

(bird species of China) Pacific swallow (Hirundo tahitica)

yànkē

燕科

[燕科]

Hirundinidae (the family of swallows and martins)

Yānguó

燕国

[燕國]

Yan, a vassal state of Zhou in modern Hebei and Liaoning
north Hebei
the four Yan kingdoms of the Sixteen Kingdoms, namely: Former Yan 前燕 ( Qián Yān) (337-370), Later Yan 後燕／后燕 ( Hòu Yān) (384-409), Southern Yan 南燕 ( Nán Yān) (398-410), Northern Yan 北燕 ( Běi Yān) (409-436)

yànquè

燕雀

[燕雀]

(bird species of China) brambling (Fringilla montifringilla)
(fig.) small fry

yányàn

岩燕

[岩燕]

(bird species of China) Eurasian crag martin (Ptyonoprogne rupestris)

chúyàn

雏燕

[雛燕]

swallow chick

Qián Yān

前燕

[前燕]

Former Yan of the Sixteen Kingdoms (337-370)

jiāyàn

家燕

[家燕]

(bird species of China) barn swallow (Hirundo rustica)

càiyàn

菜燕

[菜燕]

agar-agar

bānyāoyàn

斑腰燕

[斑腰燕]

(bird species of China) striated swallow (Cecropis striolata)

zōngyǔyàn

棕雨燕

[棕雨燕]

(bird species of China) Asian palm swift (Cypsiurus balasiensis)

Bái Xiǎoyàn

白晓燕

[白曉燕]

Pai Hsiao-yen (daughter of Pai Ping-ping)

yáshāyàn

崖沙燕

[崖沙燕]

(bird species of China) sand martin (Riparia riparia)

huīyànjú

灰燕鵙

[灰燕鵙]

(bird species of China) ashy woodswallow (Artamus fuscus)

yànwěidié

燕尾蝶

[燕尾蝶]

swallow tail butterfly (family Papilionidae)

jīnyāoyàn

金腰燕

[金腰燕]

(bird species of China) red-rumped swallow (Cecropis daurica)

jīnsīyàn

金丝燕

[金絲燕]

Aerodramus, genus of birds that use echolocation, a subset of the Collocaliini tribe (swiflets), two of whose species – Aerodramus fuciphagus and Aerodramus maximus – build nests harvested to make bird's nest soup

huīyànhéng

灰燕鸻

[灰燕鴴]

(bird species of China) small pratincole (Glareola lactea)

Tiānyànzuò

天燕座

[天燕座]

Apus (constellation)

xiànwěiyàn

线尾燕

[線尾燕]

(bird species of China) wire-tailed swallow (Hirundo smithii)

lǐngyànhéng

领燕鸻

[領燕鴴]

(bird species of China) collared pratincole (Glareola pratincola)

yàncàijīng

燕菜精

[燕菜精]

agar-agar powder

yànmàizhōu

燕麦粥

[燕麥粥]

oatmeal
porridge

Zēng Jīnyàn

曾金燕

[曾金燕]

Zeng Jinyan (1983-), Chinese blogger and human rights activist, wife of dissident activist Hu Jia 胡佳 ( Hú Jiā)

Hú Yānnī

胡燕妮

[胡燕妮]

Jenny Hu (1945-), Hong Kong actress

Yàncháoxiāng

燕巢乡

[燕巢鄉]

Yanchao township in Kaohsiung county 高雄縣／高雄县 ( Gāoxióngxiàn), southwest Taiwan

wūyàn'ōu

乌燕鸥

[烏燕鷗]

(bird species of China) sooty tern (Onychoprion fuscatus)

xiǎoyànwěi

小燕尾

[小燕尾]

(bird species of China) little forktail (Enicurus scouleri)

Sūn Yànzī

孙燕姿

[孫燕姿]

Stefanie Sun (1978-), Singaporean singer-songwriter

yànwěifú

燕尾服

[燕尾服]

swallow-tailed coat
tails

Yǐngshū Yānshuō

郢书燕说

[郢書燕說]

lit. Ying writes a letter and Yan reads it
fig. to misinterpret the original meaning
to pile up errors
refers to the letter from capital 郢 ( Yǐng) of 楚 ( Chǔ) in which the inadvertent words "hold up the candle" are mistaken by the minister of 燕 ( Yān) as "promote the wise"

yīnggēyànwǔ

莺歌燕舞

[鶯歌燕舞]

the warbler sings and the swallow dances
prosperity abounds (idiom)

hēichìyànhéng

黑翅燕鸻

[黑翅燕鴴]

(bird species of China) black-winged pratincole (Glareola nordmanni)

báiyǎnhéyàn

白眼河燕

[白眼河燕]

(bird species of China) white-eyed river martin (Pseudochelidon sirintarae)

hēizhěnyàn'ōu

黑枕燕鸥

[黑枕燕鷗]

(bird species of China) black-naped tern (Sterna sumatrana)

huībèiyànwěi

灰背燕尾

[灰背燕尾]

(bird species of China) slaty-backed forktail (Enicurus schistaceus)

xīnhūnyàn'ěr

新婚燕尔

[新婚燕爾]

newlyweds

láoyànfēnfēi

劳燕分飞

[勞燕分飛]

the shrike and the swallow fly in different directions (idiom)
(usually of a couple) to part from each other

Yān Tàizǐ Dān

燕太子丹

[燕太子丹]

Prince Dan of Yan (-226 BC), commissioned the attempted assassination of King Ying Zheng of Qin 秦嬴政 ( Qín Yíng Zhèng) (later the First Emperor 秦始皇 ( Qín Shǐhuáng)) by Jing Ke 荊軻／荆轲 ( Jīng Kē) in 227 BC

báiyāoyàn'ōu

白腰燕鸥

[白腰燕鷗]