How to Write 偃 (yǎn) — Meaning “to lie down; to stop; to fall over”

Picture a person (亻) lying down on a mat that looks like the right side 匽, with the top part as a pillow and the bottom as legs. This visual helps you associate 偃 with lying down or falling over. You can also remember the idiom 偃旗息鼓 to link the character with the idea of stopping.

Write the left radical 亻 first with two strokes (a vertical and a short horizontal), then the right side 匽. The right side starts with 匸 (two strokes: horizontal then vertical turn), then 日 (four strokes), and finally 女 (three strokes). A common mistake is to make the 女 too wide or to misplace the strokes inside 匮, so keep the proportions balanced.

The key difference is the right side: 偃 uses 匽, 侮 uses 每 (meaning "every"), and 侯 uses 矢 (arrow). In meaning, 偃 means to lie down or stop, 侮 means to insult, and 侯 means a noble title. Visually, 偃 has a boxy top and a 女 at the bottom, while 侮 has a straight top and 每, and 侯 has a 亻 with 矢.

偃 is rare in daily conversation but appears in classical idioms like 偃旗息鼓, which means to lower banners and muffled drums—to cease fighting or hide one's efforts. It can also be found in literary texts describing someone lying down, such as 偃卧 (to lie on one's back). Knowing this character helps you understand historical Chinese military and literary references.

Common words containing 偃 include: 偃旗息鼓 (yǎn qí xī gǔ) — to lower the banners and muffle the drums; to cease hostilities; 偃卧 (yǎn wò) — to lie on one's back; 偃蹇 (yǎn jiǎn) — proud; arrogant; (of trees) winding.