蔫

Tap the pinyin to hear it

to fade; to wither; to wilt; listless

Sound it out + + =

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

Phono-semantic compound (形声字)

艹 meaning “grass” + 焉 sound ( yān )

Components 艹焉

The most common words first — learning a character in context makes it stick.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
蔫儿坏	niān r huài	apt to do sth nasty or devious in secret
蔫呼呼	niān hū hū	weak and indecisive
蔫儿	niān r	erhua variant of 蔫[nian1]
发蔫	fā niān	to wilt; to droop; to appear listless
蔫头耷脑	niān tóu dā nǎo	(idiom) (coll.) (of a flower etc) droopy; withered; (of a person) listless; dispirited
蔫土匪	niān tǔ fěi	scoundrel with an honest demeanor
蔫屁	niān pì	silent fart
蔫耷耷	niān dā dā	listless; droopy

Characters sharing the sound component 焉 — compare how they read.

Character	Pinyin	Meaning
焉 sound part	yān	why? where? how?; strange; thereupon, then
嫣	yān	captivating, charming, fascinating
鄢	yān	a district in Henan province
傿	yàn	the name of an immortal; surname