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沤 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
沤ōuto soak, to steep; sodden, soakedv, 7 strokes, radical 氵, rank #92189, Very Hard
沤ōububbleunknown, 7 strokes, radical 氵, rank #92189, Very Hard
沤ōufrothunknown, 7 strokes, radical 氵, rank #92189, Very Hard
沤ōuto macerateunknown, 7 strokes, radical 氵, rank #92189, Very Hard
沤òuto soak, to steep; sodden, soakedv, 7 strokes, radical 氵, rank #92189, Very Hard
沤òububbleunknown, 7 strokes, radical 氵, rank #92189, Very Hard
沤òufrothunknown, 7 strokes, radical 氵, rank #92189, Very Hard
沤òuto macerateunknown, 7 strokes, radical 氵, rank #92189, Very Hard
ōu(ou1)ou
primary
T1
  1. 1to soak, to steep; sodden, soaked
  2. 2bubble
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March 24, 2026

沤(漚)ōu(ou1)

The character 沤 (ōu) refers to the process of soaking or steeping something in a liquid, often resulting in a change of texture or flavor. It is commonly used in culinary contexts, such as soaking tea leaves or grains, and can also describe the frothy bubbles formed during boiling or fermentation.

Strokes7Radical氵Frequency#92189DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

Soaking ingredients is a common practice in Chinese cooking, particularly for tea and certain grains, which enhances flavors and textures. This practice is rooted in the importance of flavor and health in Chinese culinary traditions.

Memory Tip

Imagine a pot of water bubbling (沤) over the heat, where the steam rises like a frothy cloud. The character's water radical (氵) reminds you of liquid, while the rest of the character suggests the action of soaking and transforming ingredients.

Meanings of 沤

ōu(ou1)
primary
1to soak, to steep; sodden, soaked
2bubble
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 沤

沤Simplified
漚Traditional
7Strokes
氵Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 沤

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Podcast: 沤

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AI Study Notes for 沤

Quick Contrast

浸 (jìn) - use 沤 (ōu) when emphasizing the soaking process in liquids, while 浸 (jìn) focuses more on the act of submerging.

Usage Notes

Learners should be careful not to confuse 沤 (ōu) with similar-sounding characters that have different meanings. It is more commonly used in informal contexts, especially in cooking, and can often be paired with words like 'tea' (茶) or 'rice' (米) to indicate soaking.

HSK Study Tips

Although 沤 is not present in the official HSK word lists, understanding it can enhance your vocabulary related to food and cooking at HSK Level 3 and above. Focus on its use in sentence structures that describe preparation methods.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 沤 (ōu) with 浸 (jìn), which also means to soak but implies a different process. For example, saying '我浤茶' (Wǒ hán chá) instead of '我沤茶' (Wǒ ōu chá) would be incorrect, as 沤 is the appropriate term for steeping tea.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 沤

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Etymology of 沤

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

water

Semantic (meaning)氵
+
Phonetic (sound)区
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

沤 = 氵 + 区. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 沤

IDS Structure⿰氵区
沤Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
区Ou1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 沤?

How to say to soak, to steep; sodden, soaked in Chinese

“to soak, to steep; sodden, soaked” in Chinese is沤ōu

The character 沤 (ōu) refers to the process of soaking or steeping something in a liquid, often resulting in a change of texture or flavor. It is commonly used in culinary contexts, such as soaking tea leaves or grains, and can also describe the frothy bubbles formed during boiling or fermentation.

When to use 沤

Learners should be careful not to confuse 沤 (ōu) with similar-sounding characters that have different meanings. It is more commonly used in informal contexts, especially in cooking, and can often be paired with words like 'tea' (茶) or 'rice' (米) to indicate soaking.

沤 or something close to it

浸 (jìn) - use 沤 (ōu) when emphasizing the soaking process in liquids, while 浸 (jìn) focuses more on the act of submerging.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 沤 (ōu) with 浸 (jìn), which also means to soak but implies a different process. For example, saying '我浤茶' (Wǒ hán chá) instead of '我沤茶' (Wǒ ōu chá) would be incorrect, as 沤 is the appropriate term for steeping tea.

Write 沤

沤

Practice writing 沤 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 沤

Words Containing This Character2
沤ōububble漚
沤肥manure漚肥
Exercise 1 of 1

Words with 沤

What does 沤肥 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 沤

While both can mean to soak, 泡 (pào) typically refers to soaking in a more casual sense, like brewing tea, whereas 沤 (ōu) implies a more thorough soaking process, often in cooking.

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