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The character 滟 (traditional 灩) pairs the water radical 氵 with 艳, which evokes the curving, rippling motion of water and also indicates the pronunciation yàn. It refers to the visual effect of water overflowing, waves rolling, or light shimmering on rippled surfaces. Found chiefly in literary and poetic language, it captures the dynamic and aesthetic qualities of moving water, its use strictly limited to such hydrological description without metaphorical extension.
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