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酢 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
酢cùa toast to the hostg, 12 strokes, radical 酉
酢cùtoast to host by guestunknown, 12 strokes, radical 酉
酢zuòa toast to the hostg, 12 strokes, radical 酉
酢zuòtoast to host by guestunknown, 12 strokes, radical 酉
cù(cu4)
primary
 T4
  1. 1a toast to the host
  2. 2toast to host by guest
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

酢cù(cu4)

酢 (cù) refers to a kind of toast, typically made by a guest to honor the host during a gathering or celebration. This character is also a variant of 醋 (cù), which means vinegar, and it carries connotations of hospitality and respect in social interactions.

Strokes12Radical酉
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, making a toast is an important ritual during banquets and celebrations, symbolizing respect and goodwill. The use of 酢 in this context highlights the emphasis on hospitality and the social bonds formed during meals.

Memory Tip

Imagine a guest raising a cup filled with vinegar (醋) during a toast, honoring their host. The character 酢 looks somewhat like a cup (the top part) with liquid (the bottom part), helping you remember its association with toasting and hospitality.

Meanings of 酢

cù(cu4)
primary
1a toast to the host
2toast to host by guest
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 酢

酢Simplified
12Strokes
酉Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 酢

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Podcast: 酢

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AI Study Notes for 酢

Usage Notes

酢 is used more in formal or ceremonial contexts, especially during banquets. A common mistake is to confuse it with 醋, which is used more frequently in cooking. It's important to use the correct tone (cù) to avoid misunderstanding.

HSK Study Tips

Although 酢 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it can enrich your understanding of related words, especially those involving social customs. Focus on the differences between 酢 and 醋 to enhance your vocabulary about food and social etiquette.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 酢 with 醋 because of their similar pronunciation and character structure. For example, saying '我喜欢酢' (Wǒ xǐhuān cù) to mean 'I like vinegar' is incorrect; the correct term is 醋 (cù).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 酢

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Etymology of 酢

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

wine

Semantic (meaning)酉
+
Phonetic (sound)乍
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 酢

  1. 1The meaning half酉 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half乍 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywine
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 酢? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 酢?

Decomposition of 酢

IDS Structure⿰酉乍
酢Full Character
=
酉you3
left
乍zha4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 酢?

How to say a toast to the host in Chinese

“a toast to the host” in Chinese is酢cù

酢 (cù) refers to a kind of toast, typically made by a guest to honor the host during a gathering or celebration. This character is also a variant of 醋 (cù), which means vinegar, and it carries connotations of hospitality and respect in social interactions.

When to use 酢

酢 is used more in formal or ceremonial contexts, especially during banquets. A common mistake is to confuse it with 醋, which is used more frequently in cooking. It's important to use the correct tone (cù) to avoid misunderstanding.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 酢 with 醋 because of their similar pronunciation and character structure. For example, saying '我喜欢酢' (Wǒ xǐhuān cù) to mean 'I like vinegar' is incorrect; the correct term is 醋 (cù).

Write 酢

酢

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 酢

Words Containing This Character2
酢cùvinegar
酬酢to exchange toasts
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 酢 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 酢

You can say, '我敬你一杯酢' (Wǒ jìng nǐ yī bēi cù), meaning 'I toast to you with a drink.'

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 酢?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.