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汁 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
汁zhījuiceHSK 7, ng, 5 strokes, radical 氵, rank #3557, Hard
汁zhījuice, liquor, fluid; sap; gravy, sauceHSK 7, ng, 5 strokes, radical 氵, rank #3557, Hard
zhī(zhi1) T1
  1. 1juice
  2. 2juice, liquor, fluid; sap; gravy, sauce
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
汁zhī(zhi1)

汁 (zhī) refers to liquid substances, particularly juices extracted from fruits or vegetables, but can also denote other liquids like sauces or gravies. It is commonly used in cooking and food-related contexts, highlighting the essence or flavor extracted from ingredients.

Strokes5Radical氵Frequency#3557DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, juices and broths are integral to many traditional dishes, often viewed as essential for enhancing flavor, especially in soups and stews. The emphasis on extracting and savoring natural flavors is a hallmark of Chinese cuisine.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'jiu' (汁) that is pouring out of a fruit, like an orange, creating a pool of juice. The character looks like a water droplet (氵) combined with 'chi' (知) that signifies 'knowledge' or 'understanding,' as if it understands the essence of flavor.

Meanings of 汁

zhī(zhi1)
1juice
2juice, liquor, fluid; sap; gravy, sauce
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 汁

汁Simplified
5Strokes
氵Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#3557Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 汁

JasonAmy

Podcast: 汁

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 汁

Quick Contrast

汁 (zhī) vs 液 (yè) — use 汁 for juices or extracted liquids, while 液 refers to liquids in general, including non-food contexts.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a 'jiu' (汁) that is pouring out of a fruit, like an orange, creating a pool of juice. The character looks like a water droplet (氵) combined with 'chi' (知) that signifies 'knowledge' or 'understanding,' as if it understands the essence of flavor.

Usage Notes

汁 (zhī) is often used in both formal and informal contexts, particularly in culinary discussions. Common collocations include 果汁 (guǒzhī - fruit juice) and 汤汁 (tāngzhī - broth or soup). Be careful with the tone, as mispronouncing it can lead to confusion with similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

Although 汁 (zhī) may not be explicitly listed in HSK levels, it connects with vocabulary related to food and drink, which is essential for daily conversations. Focus on using it with common nouns to describe various liquids.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, juices and broths are integral to many traditional dishes, often viewed as essential for enhancing flavor, especially in soups and stews. The emphasis on extracting and savoring natural flavors is a hallmark of Chinese cuisine.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 汁 (zhī) with 污 (wū - dirty) due to similar pronunciation. For example, saying '我喝污' instead of '我喝汁' (wǒ hē zhī - I drink juice) is incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 汁

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Etymology of 汁

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

Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 十 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

water

Semantic (meaning)氵
+
Phonetic (sound)十
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 汁?

Decomposition of 汁

IDS Structure⿰氵十
汁Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
十shi2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 汁?

Write 汁

汁

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 汁

汁 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 2 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.

Related grammar lessons1
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

麦圭尔举起瓶子咕咚咕咚地喝了一大通苦柠檬____。

McGuire took a long swig from his bottle of bitter lemon.

Common Confusions with 汁

汁vs知
zhī

Same pinyin, both are common characters with different meanings.

Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "juice"?

or

Usage Notes for 汁

Usage in expressionsGrammar Tip

汁 is often used in culinary contexts, referring to liquids extracted from food.

1

番茄汁

tomato juice

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill in the Blank

番茄____

tomato juice

Example Sentences for 汁 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
麦圭尔举起瓶子咕咚咕咚地喝了一大通苦柠檬汁。

mài guī ěr jǔ qǐ píng zǐ gū dōng gū dōng dì hē le yī dà tōng kǔ níng méng zhī。

McGuire took a long swig from his bottle of bitter lemon.
2
我绞尽脑汁，处心积虑，就是为了让他嫉妒。

wǒ jiǎo jìn nǎo zhī， ， chǔ xīn jī， lǜ ， jiù shì wéi le ràng tā。

I worked myself into frenzy plotting ways to make him jealous.
3
搅拌调味汁，把它浇在上面。

jiǎo bàn tiáo wèi zhī， ， bǎ tā jiāo zài shàng。

Stir the sauce and pour it over the top.
4
将肉汁混合料调好。

jiāng ròu zhī hùn hé liào tiáo hǎo。

Prepare the gravy mixture.
5
他的下巴上粘着肉汁。

tā de xià bā shàng nián zháo ròu zhī。

There was a smear of gravy on his chin.
6
试试用柠檬汁去除手指上的烟渍。

shì shì yòng níng méng zhī qù chú shǒu zhǐ shàng de yān zì。

Try using lemon juice to remove tobacco stains from your fingers.
7
把25克（即1盎司）黄油搅拌到酱汁里。

bǎ25 25（ kè1 （ jí） 1 àng sī ） huáng yóu jiǎo bàn。

Whisk 25g .1 oz. of butter into the sauce.
8
千万不要把自己的饭菜上都涂满白汁沙司。

qiān wàn bù yào bǎ zì jǐ de fàn cài shàng dū tú mǎn bái zhī shā sī。

Make sure that your meal won't be smothered with white sauce.
9
柠檬汁和酸橙汁暂时都缺货。

níng méng zhī hé suān chéng zhī zàn shí dū quē huò。

Lemon and lime juice were both temporarily out of stock.
10
将豆角彻底控干，并把滤出的豆汁留下做汤。

jiāng dòu jiǎo chè dǐ kòng gān， ， bìng bǎ lǜ chū de dòu zhī liú xià zuò。

Drain the beans thoroughly and save the stock for soup.

Cultural Notes for 汁

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, juices and broths are integral to many traditional dishes, often viewed as essential for enhancing flavor, especially in soups and stews. The emphasis on extracting and savoring natural flavors is a hallmark of Chinese cuisine.

Word Family of 汁

Words Containing This Character20
汁zhījuice
果汁guǒzhīfruit juice
橙汁chéngzhīorange juice
胆汁gall膽汁
绞尽脑汁to rack one's brains絞盡腦汁
柠檬汁lemon juice檸檬汁
肉汁meat stock
乳汁milk
汁液juice
椰汁coconut water
墨汁prepared Chinese ink
橘子汁orange juice
葡萄汁grape juice
原汁原味yuánzhīyuánwèioriginal
脑汁brains腦汁
豆汁soy milk
榨汁机juicer榨汁機
果汁机juicer果汁機
糖汁syrup
奶汁milk from a woman's breast
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 汁 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 汁

Common phrases that include 汁 (zhī) are '果汁' (guǒzhī), meaning 'fruit juice,' and '肉汁' (ròuzhī), meaning 'meat juice' or 'gravy.' These phrases highlight the versatility of the character in different culinary contexts.