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March 24, 2026
飲yǐn(yin3)
The character 飲 (yǐn) primarily means 'to drink' or 'to swallow.' It can also refer to a type of drink, highlighting its usage in contexts related to beverages, such as water, tea, or alcohol. This character is commonly used in both everyday conversations and formal settings, particularly in relation to dining and hospitality.
Strokes12Radical飠Frequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, drinking is often a social activity, with specific rituals surrounding tea and alcohol consumption. 飲 is frequently seen in the context of tea ceremonies, which emphasize respect and tradition.
Memory Tip
Imagine a giant cup (the radical 飲) overflowing with your favorite drink. As you watch it pour, you can hear the sound of 'yǐn' as it flows down your throat, making it easy to remember that it means 'to drink.' Visualizing this scene connects the form and sound of the character to its meaning.
Meanings of 飲
yǐn(yin3)
1to swallow, to drink; a kind of drink
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 飲
飲Simplified
12Strokes
飠Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 飲
Podcast: 飲
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AI Study Notes for 飲
Quick Contrast
饮 (yǐn) vs 喝 (hē) — use 饮 for formal or literary contexts, while 喝 is more casual.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a giant cup (the radical 飲) overflowing with your favorite drink. As you watch it pour, you can hear the sound of 'yǐn' as it flows down your throat, making it easy to remember that it means 'to drink.' Visualizing this scene connects the form and sound of the character to its meaning.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 飲 (yǐn) with 喝 (hē), which also means 'to drink' but is more informal and commonly used in everyday speech. While 飲 can be used in more formal contexts, such as in restaurants or ceremonies, it's essential to use the correct tone to avoid misunderstandings, as the third tone can sound similar to other tones.
HSK Study Tips
Though 飲 is not included in HSK levels, it connects with other food and drink-related vocabulary. Students should focus on using 飲 in sentences with related words like 水 (water), 茶 (tea), and 酒 (alcohol) to build contextual understanding.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, drinking is often a social activity, with specific rituals surrounding tea and alcohol consumption. 飲 is frequently seen in the context of tea ceremonies, which emphasize respect and tradition.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly write 飲 as 影 (yǐng), which means 'shadow.' It's important to remember that 飲 has the radical for 'water' on the left side, which signifies its meaning related to drinking.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 飲
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Cultural Notes for 飲
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, drinking is often a social activity, with specific rituals surrounding tea and alcohol consumption. 飲 is frequently seen in the context of tea ceremonies, which emphasize respect and tradition.
Word Family of 飲
Words Containing This Character20
饮料yǐnliàodrink飲料
饮食yǐnshídiet飲食
饮yǐnto drink㱃
餐饮cānyǐncatering餐飲
饮酒to drink wine飲酒
饮水yǐnshuǐdrinking water飲水
饮用drink飲用
饮用水yǐnyòngshuǐdrinking water飲用水
饮品beverage飲品
冷饮cold drink冷飲
畅饮to have a few drinks暢飲
饮茶to have tea and refreshments飲茶
痛饮to drink one's fill痛飲
狂饮to drink hard狂飲
饮水机water dispenser飲水機
软饮料soft drink軟飲料
热饮hot drink熱飲
暴饮暴食to eat and drink unreasonably暴飲暴食
一饮而尽to drain the cup in one gulp (idiom)一飲而盡
饮恨to nurse a grievance飲恨
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 饮料 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 飲
Yes, 飲 can refer to any kind of drink, but it's often used in more formal or literary contexts.
Yes, 喝 is more commonly used in everyday conversation, while 飲 can convey a more formal or literary tone.
You might think of 'yǐn' as 'yin' in English, connecting the sound with the action of drinking.
