How to Write 阉 (yān) — Meaning “to castrate”

Imagine a gate (门) that has been sealed shut, and inside it a person named "Yan" (奄) is being operated on. Picture the gate closing tightly to hide the painful act of castration. This mental image ties the outer gate to the hidden inner action.

Write the outer radical 门 first as a wide frame, then the inner part 奄. Pay close attention to the 大 inside 奄: its horizontal stroke should be slightly shorter to fit neatly within the door frame. A common mistake is making the inner part too big, causing it to touch or cross the surrounding strokes.

阉 (yān) means castration, while 闺 (guī) refers to a lady's chamber or boudoir, and 闻 (wén) means to hear or smell. Visually, 阉 has the inner component 奄, 闺 has 圭 (a jade tablet), and 闻 has 耳 (ear). Their meanings are completely unrelated despite sharing the 门 radical.

阉 is mostly used in formal or technical contexts, such as veterinary medicine (阉割, castration) or historical discussions of eunuchs (阉人). It is not a common everyday word and can carry negative or sensitive connotations. In Chinese history, eunuchs served in imperial courts, so this character often appears in historical texts.

Common words containing 阉 include: 阉割 (yān gē) — to castrate; castration; 阉鸡 (yān jī) — capon; castrated rooster; 阉人 (yān rén) — eunuch.