How to Write 胭 (yān) — Meaning “rouge”

Imagine that you apply rouge to your cheeks using a "cause" (因) related to your "flesh" (月) — you blush because of something good. The right side 因 sounds like "in" in English, so think "in the flesh, you put on rouge."

Write the left radical 月 first, making sure the two horizontal strokes are parallel and the third stroke is a vertical line (not a hook). Then write the right side 因: start with the outer box, then 大 inside — be careful not to make the inner 大 too big, or it will touch the box. A common mistake is writing the left component as 月 too narrow or forgetting the dot on top of the right side (因 has a dot inside the box).

朋 (péng) consists of two 月 side by side and means "friend" — it has no relation to cosmetics. 朊 (ruǎn, meaning protein or soft) has 月 on the left and 元 on the right — 元 means "first" or "dollar," unrelated to rouge. In contrast, 胭 has the unique right component 因 and is only used in words related to rouge or blush colors.

胭 is almost exclusively used in the word 胭脂 (yān zhī) meaning "rouge" or "blush," a red cosmetic for the cheeks or lips. It also appears in color names like 胭脂红 (yān zhī hóng), a deep red shade, and in the title of the classic Chinese film "胭脂扣" (Rouge Button). You won't find it in everyday conversation but rather in beauty, fashion, or historical contexts.

Common words containing 胭 include: 胭脂 (yān zhī) — rouge; blush; 胭脂红 (yān zhī hóng) — carmine; rouge red; 胭脂扣 (yān zhī kòu) — Rouge Button.