How to Write 谳 (yàn) — Meaning “to decide a case; verdict”

Picture a judge speaking (讠) a final verdict while holding up a sacrificial offering (献) to show the grave importance of the decision. The "offering" helps you recall that a case is being "offered up" for conclusion, making the character stick in your memory.

Write the left radical 讠 first with its two simple strokes, then the right part 献 with 13 strokes. Be careful with the bottom component 犬 (dog) — keep it narrow and centered, and do not forget the small dot above it. A common mistake is making the right side too wide or misplacing the dot.

Unlike 谨 (jǐn, meaning careful) which has the right side 堇, or 谩 (màn, meaning deceive) with right side 曼, 谳 uses 献 as its right component. Visually, 谳 has more strokes and a distinct complex shape, and its meaning is restricted to legal verdicts, not personal behavior or deception.

谳 is almost exclusively found in formal legal writing, such as in terms like 定谳 (final judgment) and 审谳 (to try a case and pass sentence). It appears in official court documents or historical legal records, but it is rarely used in everyday speech, making it a specialized character for learners of legal Chinese.

Common words containing 谳 include: 审谳 (shěn yàn) — To try a case and pass sentence.; 谳语 (yàn yǔ) — verdict; judicial decision; 定谳 (dìng yàn) — Final judgment.