Chinese words pronounced yan (any tone) 97 words, in the 4 tones yan is read in. yān (1st tone) 20 words 烟(yān) cigarette or pipe tobacco 燕(yān) Yan, a vassal state of Zhou in present-day Hebei and Liaoning 咽(yān) throat 嫣(yān) lovely 焉(yān) where 煙(yān) cigarette or pipe tobacco 菸(yān) tobacco 燕(yān) Yan, a vassal state of Zhou in present-day Hebei and Liaoning 嚥(yàn) to swallow 嫣(yān) lovely All 20 words pronounced yān yán (2nd tone) 25 words 言(yán) words 盐(yán) salt 沿(yán) along 严(yán) tight 岩(yán) cliff 言(yán) words 鹽(yán) salt 沿(yán) along 嚴(yán) tight 岩(yán) cliff All 25 words pronounced yán yǎn (3rd tone) 30 words 眼(yǎn) eye 广(yǎn) "house on a cliff" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 53), occurring in 店, 序, 底 etc 演(yǎn) to perform 掩(yǎn) to cover up 衍(yǎn) to spread out 眼(yǎn) eye 廣(guǎng) wide 演(yǎn) to perform 掩(yǎn) to cover up 衍(yǎn) to spread out All 30 words pronounced yǎn yàn (4th tone) 26 words 燕(yàn) swallow 咽(yàn) to swallow 宴(yàn) to entertain at a banquet 彦(yàn) accomplished 艳(yàn) bright 燕(yàn) swallow 嚥(yàn) to swallow 宴(yàn) to entertain at a banquet 彥(yàn) accomplished 豔(yàn) bright All 26 words pronounced yàn Often confused with yan yang in any tone 33 words