Learn Chinese Characters

Meaning

grind fine; study; research

Chinese: 研究、研磨。

Hear the Four Tones

The same syllable “yan” becomes a different word in each tone. 研 is the 2nd tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.

Stroke Order

Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.

Common Words

  • 研究yán jiūresearch; a study; to research; to look into
  • 研究生yán jiū shēnggraduate student; postgraduate student; research student
  • 研制yán zhìto research and manufacture; to research and to develop
  • 研发yán fāresearch and development; to develop
  • 研究所yán jiū suǒresearch institute; graduate studies; graduate school

Example Sentence

他大学毕业后继续读研究生。Tā dà xué bì yè hòu jì xù dú yán jiū shēng.After graduating from college, he went on to study as a graduate student.

he大学dà xuéuniversity毕业bì yègraduationhòuempressto continueto continue读研dú yánto attend graduate schooljiūafter allshēngto arise

Go deeper

Where this character comes from

The stone radical 石 plus 开 (sound): to grind on stone — ‘to grind, mill, pulverize; to study deeply, research, investigate’ (研究, 研磨, 科研).

A way to remember it

Grinding on stone (石) — to study deeply (研究).