Chinese Word
Archive
← Today's word Archive
verb HSK 4
yǎn
to perform · to act · to演习 · to develop · to演变

Meaning

演 primarily means 'to perform' or 'to act,' commonly used in contexts of theater, film, or演讲 (speeches). It also carries the extended meaning of 'to develop' or 'to演变' (evolve) when describing processes or situations that unfold over time.

Usage

Most commonly appears in compounds like 演出 (performance), 演员 (actor), 表演 (to perform), and 演讲 (speech/lecture). When used alone as a verb, it typically requires a complement or object. Native speakers use it for both artistic performances and the演变 or演示 of ideas or processes.

Examples

  1. 01
    她在这部电影里演女主角。
    Tā zài zhè bù diàn yǐng lǐ yǎn nǚ zhǔ jué.
    She plays the female lead in this movie.
  2. 02
    这个小冲突后来演变成了大问题。
    Zhè ge xiǎo chōng tū hòu lái yǎn biàn chéng le dà wèn tí.
    This small conflict later developed into a big problem.

Common collocations

  • 演电影
    yǎn diàn yǐng
    to act in a movie
  • 演话剧
    yǎn huà jù
    to perform in a play
  • 演角色
    yǎn jué sè
    to play a role
  • 演变成
    yǎn biàn chéng
    to evolve into

Origin

The character 演 originally combined 水 (water) radical with 寅 (a cyclical character), suggesting the idea of water flowing and spreading out, which extended metaphorically to mean 'to develop' and 'to perform.'

Related