Taxonomy of meanings for 焉:　　

  • yān (OC: qan MC: ʔiɐn) 謁言切 平 廣韻：【安也又不言也 】
  • yān (OC: qran MC: ʔɯiɛn) 於乾切 平 廣韻：【何也又鳥雜毛説文曰鳥黄色出江淮間於乾切五 】
  • 焉 yān (OC: qran MC: ʔɯiɛn) 於乾切 平 廣韻：【何也又鳥雜毛説文曰鳥黄色出江淮間於乾切五 】
    • yān (OC: ɢan MC: ɦɯiɛn) 有乾切 平 廣韻：【語助也又於乾切 】 語助也又於乾切 Pan Wuyun: ɢan 何也又鳥雜毛説文曰鳥黄色出江淮間於乾切 Pan Wuyun: qran 安也又不言也 Pan Wuyun qan
    • sentence-final with pronominal reference> FINAL PARTICLES
      • ppostadSresultfrom it> as a result
      • vi{vt+npro}.postadVcontraction for 於之: in it; from it; to it; than it; by it
      • referential> PRONOUN
        • VPpostadVafter vi-comp: than this =於之
        • VPpostadVimpersonal忠焉 "If one is loyal to someone"
        • VPpostadVobject=beneficiaryto himDS
        • VPpostadVobject=sourcefrom it; from thisDS
        • VPpostadVamong themCH
        • VPpostadVfor Nfor this, on this occasionCH
        • VPpostadV同焉 "to identify oneself with him", with rergard to him, in relationship to himLZ
        • VPpostadVin that place，thereCH
        • VPpostadVobject=eventin/during that eventLZ
        • npro.postadVnpro=objlike 之: he; she; it etc.DS
        • VPpostadVconsequencefor it: as in the phrase 無它故焉 "there was no other reason for it"LZ
        • reference to addressee> YOU
          • vi{vt npro}.postadVto you; from you; than you etc.DS
        • reference to speaker> EGO
          • npro.postVt於+nproto me
        • grammaticalised:preposition with pronominal object> RELATION
          • vtoN.postadVfunctions like a preposition 於　CH
          • comparative> THAN
            • npro.postadVthan it
          • spatial: in that place> THERE
            • v{vtonpro}.postadV於之“in that place">there
            • THEN
              • v{=vt0+npro}adVat that point
              • vt0 prep N.adV:post-S焉＝於之 at that point, first thenCH
              • THEREFORE
                • ppostadSas a result
            • interrogative:spatial> WHERE
              • padVwhere
              • nprorhetoricalto what> where (on earth)CH
              • direction> WHITHER
                • padVwheretowhereto?
                • padVfigurativenon-spatial: towards whomCH
                • source> WHENCE
                  • padVwhence, from where
                  • padVfigurativefrom what source?, whence?CH
                  • manner> HOW
                    • padVnon-rhetoricalhow?(followed by subjectless sentence in the form of a verb phrase:)
                    • padVexpected answer: no!how? 焉得儉"How could he get to count as stingy?"　焉辟"how can one avoid?"
                    • padVwherefromfrom where
                    • padVrhetoricalhow on earthCH
                    • reason> WHY
                      • padVrhetorical questionwhy
                    • enclitic:manner> SUFFIX
                      • ppostadV1.adV2works like rán 然: postposed adverb marker
                      • ppostadVintensitive verbal suffixCH
              • temporal> WHEN
                • padVrhetorical questionused in rhet. questions: when? 焉有.... When did it happen that? When it was true that..?
            • abstract:relational> AMONG
              • v{vt+npro}postN.postVfrom among them 一焉
    • =顏 FOREHEAD
      • n(= yán 顏) foreheadLZ
  • 焉 yān (OC: qan MC: ʔiɐn) 謁言切 平 廣韻：【安也又不言也 】
  • 焉 yān (OC: ɢan MC: ɦɯiɛn) 有乾切 平 廣韻：【語助也又於乾切 】
  • yānPASSIVE MARKER
    • ppostadV(be V-ed) by NCH
  • yānWHAT
    • npro{OBJ} VtwhatDS

Additional information about 焉

說文解字: 【焉】，焉鳥，黃色，出於江淮。象形。凡字朋者羽蟲之屬， 〔小徐本「屬」作「長」。〕 烏者日中之禽，舄者知太歲之所在，燕者請子之候，作巢避戊己，所貴者，故皆象形。焉亦是也。 【有乾切】