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酦 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
酦fāto ferment, to brewx, 12 strokes, radical 酉
酦fāto ferment alcoholunknown, 12 strokes, radical 酉
酦fāTaiwan pr. [po4]unknown, 12 strokes, radical 酉
酦pōto ferment, to brewx, 12 strokes, radical 酉
酦pōto ferment alcoholunknown, 12 strokes, radical 酉
酦pōTaiwan pr. [po4]unknown, 12 strokes, radical 酉
fā(fa1)
primary
 T1
  1. 1to ferment, to brew
  2. 2to ferment alcohol
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

酦(醱)fā(fa1)

The character 酦 (fā) refers to the process of fermentation, especially in relation to brewing alcohol. It is commonly used in contexts involving the production of alcoholic beverages and can imply a transformation through natural processes, such as the development of flavors and aromas during fermentation.

Strokes12Radical酉
Cultural Note

Fermentation is a significant aspect of Chinese culinary heritage, especially in the production of traditional beverages like rice wine. The art of brewing has deep roots in Chinese culture, often linked to festivals and communal gatherings.

Memory Tip

Think of 酦 (fā) as a bubbling pot of brew. The '酵' component resembles yeast and fermentation, and the '发' part can remind you of 'fizzing' or 'bubbling' as the brew ferments and develops its character.

Meanings of 酦

fā(fa1)
primary
1to ferment, to brew
2to ferment alcohol
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 酦

酦Simplified
醱Traditional
12Strokes
酉Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 酦

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Podcast: 酦

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AI Study Notes for 酦

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 酦 with similar terms like 醱 (fà), which also relates to fermentation but has different contexts. This term is more technical and often used in formal discussions about food and beverage production, so it's less common in casual conversation.

HSK Study Tips

Although 酦 is not an HSK-listed word, it connects with other food-related vocabulary at various HSK levels. Students should focus on the context of fermentation and brewing to better understand its applications in culinary arts and traditional practices.

Common Mistakes

Learners may incorrectly pronounce 酦 as 'pō' due to its pronunciation in Taiwan. Correctly, it should be pronounced as 'fā'. Additionally, some may confuse it with 醱, leading to misuse in contexts related to fermentation.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 酦

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Etymology of 酦

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

wine

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 酦

  1. 1The meaning half酉 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half发 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 酦? 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 酦?

Decomposition of 酦

IDS Structure⿰酉发
酦Full Character
=
酉you3
left
发fa1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 酦?

How to say to ferment, to brew in Chinese

“to ferment, to brew” in Chinese is酦fā

The character 酦 (fā) refers to the process of fermentation, especially in relation to brewing alcohol. It is commonly used in contexts involving the production of alcoholic beverages and can imply a transformation through natural processes, such as the development of flavors and aromas during fermentation.

When to use 酦

Learners often confuse 酦 with similar terms like 醱 (fà), which also relates to fermentation but has different contexts. This term is more technical and often used in formal discussions about food and beverage production, so it's less common in casual conversation.

What learners get wrong

Learners may incorrectly pronounce 酦 as 'pō' due to its pronunciation in Taiwan. Correctly, it should be pronounced as 'fā'. Additionally, some may confuse it with 醱, leading to misuse in contexts related to fermentation.

Write 酦

酦

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

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Word Family of 酦

Words Containing This Character1
酦fāTaiwan pr. [pò]醱
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 酦 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 酦

酦 specifically refers to the process of fermentation, particularly in brewing, while 醱 can also denote fermentation but is used more broadly.

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