---
title: "Yanlian Meaning: 演练 (yǎnliàn) Means “drill”"
description: "演练 (traditional 演練, yǎnliàn) means “drill; exercise; to drill; to rehearse”. Hear its tones, see what 演 and 练 each mean and a real sentence that uses it."
canonical: "https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/yanlian"
published: "2026-10-21"
updated: "2026-11-06"
author: "Mandarin The Wild"
---

[What does it mean in Chinese?](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning)

# What does 演练 mean?

猫头鹰māotóuyīngowl

演练 yǎnliàn

## drill; exercise; to drill; to rehearse

## Its characters

1. 演 yǎn to practice
2. 练 liàn to practice

## In a sentence

学校今天进行了消防演练。 The school held a fire drill today.

这不是真的地震，是**演练**。

From [五月十二日的演练 · What to do in an earthquake in China](https://mandarinthewild.com/library/read/what-to-do-in-an-earthquake-in-china#library-word-74-76)

[More about 演练](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%BC%94%E7%BB%83)

## More words with 演 or 练

- [扮演 bànyǎn](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/banyan)
- [表演 biǎoyǎn](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/biaoyan)
- [导演 dǎoyǎn](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/daoyan)
- [教练 jiàoliàn](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/jiaolian)
- [上演 shàngyǎn](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/shangyan)
- [熟练 shúliàn](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/shulian)
- [训练 xùnliàn](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/xunlian)
- [演变 yǎnbiàn](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/yanbian)
- [演出 yǎnchū](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/yanchu)
- [演技 yǎnjì](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/yanji)

## Keep 演练 for Review

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