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
- 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】