Taxonomy of meanings for 顏:　　

  • yán (OC: ŋraan MC: ŋɯan) 五姦切 平 廣韻：【顔容亦顔額又姓出琅邪本自魯伯禽支庶有食采顔邑者因而著族又邾武公名夷字曰顔故公羊傳稱顔公後遂爲氏五姦切二 】
    • FOREHEAD
      • nforehead
      • generalised> FACE
        • nupper part of the face; countenance
        • nfacial expression; face (as expressive of inner state, mood and emotions)CH
        • on face, generalised> COLOUR
          • nabstativecolour
      • metaphorical: horizontal inscription over gate> INSCRIPTION
        • nvertical inscription above a gate or in a ceremonial hall

    Additional information about 顏

    說文解字:

      Criteria
    • FOREHEAD

      1. The current general word for the forehead in Han times became é 額.

      2. Yán 顏 is the most current ancient word and refers specifically to the area between the eyebrows, more generally to the upper part of the face.

      3. Sǎng 顙 refers to the forehead as a whole, especially the upper part.

      4. Tí 題 and diān 顛 refers to the forehead but may include the top of the head.

    • COLOUR

      1. The standard word for colour of any kind is sè 色.

      2. Cǎi 采 normally refers to colours coexisting with others on one object.

      3. Yán 顏 "face" is perhaps occasionally used to refer to colour but no early examples are very telling.

    • FACE

      1. The standard neutral word for the face is miàn 面.

      2. Sè 色 refers specifically to the face as expressive of mood and emotion.

      3. Róng 容 refers especially to the lineaments and the characteristic outline of the face.

      4. Yán 顏 refers to the upper part of the face but the word is often used to refer loosely to the face as a whole. See FOREHEAD.

      NB: Liǎn 臉 is post-Han (THREE KINGDOMS) and refers at an early stage to the part of the face to which makeup is applied.

      Word relations
    • Assoc: (COLOUR)色/COLOUR The standard word for colour of any kind is sè 色.