glossy, luster, glaze, polish
Also: charm, colorful, captivating
On'yomi (音読み)
- エン
Kun'yomi (訓読み)
- つや
- なま.めかしい
- あで.やか
- つや.めく
- なま.めく
About this kanji
The kanji 艶 (えん) primarily means "glossy" or "luster," describing objects that have a shiny finish or a charming quality. It is often used as a noun, but can also appear in verbs. For example, 艶々 (つやつや) refers to something that is beautifully glossy, while 妖艶 (ようえん) describes something that is captivating or alluring. Another common term is 艶事 (つやごと), which means a love affair, highlighting the kanji’s association with attraction and charm. A usage note is that while it often conveys beauty or appeal, it can also imply a sense of seductiveness, especially in romantic contexts.
Example sentences
彼女の髪は艶やかで美しい。
Her hair is glossy and beautiful.
Meanings across languages
- English
- glossy, luster, glaze, polish, charm, colorful, captivating
- Tiếng Việt
- bóng, luster, glaze, đánh bóng, charm, màu sắc, hấp dẫn
- 日本語
- 艶, 光沢, 艶色, 磨き, 魅力, 色鮮やか, 魅惑
- 한국어
- 광택, 광채, 유약, 폴리쉬, 매력, 다채로운, 매혹적인
- 中文
- 光泽, 光彩, 釉, 抛光, 魅力, 多彩, 迷人
- id
- berkilau
- th
- เงางาม
- es
- brillo
- fr
- brillant
- de
- Glanz
- pt
- brilho
Common compounds
- 艶々つやつやglossy, bright, slick
- 妖艶ようえんfascinating, voluptuous, bewitching
- 艶事つやごとlove affair, romance
- 艶種つやだねlove affair, love rumour, love rumor
- 艶書えんしょlove letter, billet-doux
- 色艶いろつやcolour and lustre, color and luster, complexion
- 凄艶せいえんweirdly beautiful
- 優艶ゆうえんcharming, fascinating, beautiful
Want to actually learn this kanji?
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