DICTIONARY · CC-CEDICT

衍

Mandarin · pinyin yǎn

to spread out
to develop
to overflow
to amplify
superfluous

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衍: yǎn · overflow, spill over, spread out

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

3 · yan3

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1character link63same-tone records

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 11 senses · 3 Cantonese readings

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

hin2 · jin2 · jin5

Cantonese word readings for 衍. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

character

to overflow; to spill over
to spread out; to extend; to develop
superfluous; unnecessary
characters mistakenly added during the copying of a text
(obsolete) lowland; flatland
(obsolete) marsh; bog
(obsolete) mountain slope; hillside
(obsolete) bamboo basket
a surname

character

(obsolete) to bring in; to invite; to introduce
(Buddhism) yana; vehicle

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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