仰

• Pinyin: yǎng
• Hanzi breakdown: 仰 = 亻 (person) + 卬 (to look up), depicting a person facing upward

Meaning

To look up; to face upward; to admire. The action of tilting the head back or looking upward.

Physical meaning: 仰头 (raise one's head), 仰望 (look up at), 仰泳 (backstroke). Figurative meaning: 仰慕 (admire), 敬仰 (revere). Common phrases: 仰卧 (lie face up), 仰天长叹 (look up and sigh). Opposite of 俯 (look down).

Examples

1. 他仰头看着满天繁星。 He raised his head to look at the sky full of stars.
2. 游客们仰望着这座古老的钟楼。 Tourists looked up at this ancient bell tower.
3. 仰泳是她最擅长的泳姿。 Backstroke is her best swimming style.

Usage Guide

Context: physical actions, emotions, sports

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 仰望星空让人感到渺小。(Looking up at the starry sky makes one feel small.)
• 他是我一直仰慕的人。(He is someone I have always admired.)

Don't Say

• 仰着桌子 — 仰指头部或身体向上的动作，不能用于其他物体

Origin & History

Compound of 亻 (person) + 卬 (to face upward). Depicts a person looking or facing upward.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal