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March 24, 2026
饮(㱃)yǐn(yin3)
饮 (yǐn) primarily means 'to drink' or 'a kind of drink.' It can refer to the act of swallowing liquids, as well as to any liquid that is consumed. This character is commonly used in contexts related to beverages and hydration, particularly in formal or literary settings.
Strokes7Radical饣Frequency#8768DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, drinking tea is a significant ritual, and the word 饮 is often associated with traditional tea ceremonies. This reflects the importance of beverages in social interactions and hospitality.
Memory Tip
Imagine the character 饮 as a person holding a cup (the top part, 饣, looks like a table with food) and drinking (the bottom part, 乞, resembles a person leaning forward). Visualize this person joyfully drinking their favorite beverage, and remember that 'yǐn' sounds like 'yin' – think of a refreshing drink that brings balance.
Meanings of 饮
yǐn(yin3)
primary
1to drink
2to swallow, to drink; a kind of drink
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
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About 饮
饮Simplified
㱃Traditional
7Strokes
饣Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#8768Frequency Rank
Podcast: 饮
Podcast: 饮
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AI Study Notes for 饮
Quick Contrast
饮 (yǐn) vs 喝 (hē): Use 饮 for a more formal or literary context, while 喝 is more casual and common in everyday speech.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine the character 饮 as a person holding a cup (the top part, 饣, looks like a table with food) and drinking (the bottom part, 乞, resembles a person leaning forward). Visualize this person joyfully drinking their favorite beverage, and remember that 'yǐn' sounds like 'yin' – think of a refreshing drink that brings balance.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 饮 with its more common variant, 喝 (hē), which also means 'to drink' but is more informal. 饮 is used in more formal contexts, such as in menus or health-related discussions. Be mindful of the tone; use the third tone (yǐn) to avoid confusion with other characters.
HSK Study Tips
Although 饮 is not on the HSK list, understanding this character enhances your vocabulary related to food and drink, which is crucial for real-life interactions. Focus on related terms like 饮料 (yǐnliào - beverage) and 饮水 (yǐnshuǐ - drinking water) to build context.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, drinking tea is a significant ritual, and the word 饮 is often associated with traditional tea ceremonies. This reflects the importance of beverages in social interactions and hospitality.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is to use 饮 in casual conversation where 喝 would be more appropriate, such as saying '我饮水' instead of '我喝水' (Wǒ hē shuǐ). Learners should remember that 饮 has a more formal connotation.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 饮
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Grammar Patterns of 饮
饮 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Herbs have been used for centuries to make refreshing drinks.
Cultural Notes for 饮
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, drinking tea is a significant tradition. Tea is not just a beverage, it's often part of social gatherings and ceremonies, symbolizing hospitality and respect.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, drinking tea is a significant ritual, and the word 饮 is often associated with traditional tea ceremonies. This reflects the importance of beverages in social interactions and hospitality.
Word Family of 饮
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 饮
Yes, 饮 can refer to various types of drinks, not just water. It can encompass beverages like tea, juice, or any liquid that one might drink. In this context, it can be used in phrases like '饮料' (yǐnliào), which means 'beverage'.
饮 (yǐn) and 喝 (hē) both mean 'to drink', but 饮 is more formal and can refer to the act of drinking in general, while 喝 is more commonly used in everyday conversation. For example, 喝 might be used in a casual context like '我喝水' (Wǒ hē shuǐ - I drink water).
饮 (yǐn) means 'to drink' or 'to swallow'. It can also refer to a kind of drink or the act of providing water to animals. This character is an old variant of the character 飲, which has similar meanings.
You can use 饮 in sentences like '我想饮水' (Wǒ xiǎng yǐn shuǐ), which means 'I want to drink water'. It's often used in contexts related to drinking or providing liquids.
You can say '我喜欢饮茶' (Wǒ xǐhuān yǐn chá), which means 'I like to drink tea.'
饮 is generally more common in written Chinese and formal contexts compared to the more colloquial 喝.
Synonyms include 喝 (hē) for 'to drink' and 饮料 (yǐnliào) for 'beverage'.
