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觞 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
觞shāngwine cup; to propose a toast; feastv, 12 strokes, radical 角
觞shānggobletunknown, 12 strokes, radical 角
shāng(shang1) T1
  1. 1wine cup; to propose a toast; feast
  2. 2goblet
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

觞(觴)shāng(shang1)

The character 觞 (shāng) refers to a wine cup or goblet, commonly used in contexts involving toasts during celebrations or feasts. It encompasses the act of proposing a toast, symbolizing goodwill and camaraderie among participants. This word is often used in formal or ceremonial settings.

Strokes12Radical角
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, raising a wine cup (觞) to propose a toast is an important ritual that signifies respect and friendship, often seen during banquets and festivals, reflecting the communal spirit of Chinese dining.

Memory Tip

Imagine a grand feast where a majestic wine cup (觞) is raised high in celebration. The character's component 觞 looks like a cup with a handle, while the pronunciation 'shāng' can be remembered as 'shang' up the goblet to propose a toast.

Meanings of 觞

shāng(shang1)
1wine cup; to propose a toast; feast
2goblet
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 觞

觞Simplified
觴Traditional
12Strokes
角Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 觞

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Podcast: 觞

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AI Study Notes for 觞

Usage Notes

Be aware that 觞 is typically used in formal contexts, so avoid using it in casual settings. Common collocations include '举觞' (raise a cup) and '觞酒' (wine cup). Ensure to pronounce it with the first tone to avoid confusion with other similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

While 觞 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects to HSK Level 5 words related to celebrations and social gatherings. Students should focus on understanding its usage in cultural contexts and practice the pronunciation to differentiate it from other tones.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 觞 with the more common 酒杯 (jiǔbēi) and use it in casual conversation, which is incorrect. For example, saying '我喝酒杯' (I drink the cup) instead of '我举觞' (I raise the cup) can lead to misunderstandings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 觞

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Etymology of 觞

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

horn

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 觞

  1. 1The meaning half角 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half昜 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayhorn
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 觞? 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 觞?

Decomposition of 觞

IDS Structure⿰角⿱?昜
觞Full Character
=
角jiao3
left
昜yang2
top
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 觞?

How to say wine cup; to propose a toast; feast in Chinese

“wine cup; to propose a toast; feast” in Chinese is觞shāng

The character 觞 (shāng) refers to a wine cup or goblet, commonly used in contexts involving toasts during celebrations or feasts. It encompasses the act of proposing a toast, symbolizing goodwill and camaraderie among participants. This word is often used in formal or ceremonial settings.

When to use 觞

Be aware that 觞 is typically used in formal contexts, so avoid using it in casual settings. Common collocations include '举觞' (raise a cup) and '觞酒' (wine cup). Ensure to pronounce it with the first tone to avoid confusion with other similar-sounding words.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 觞 with the more common 酒杯 (jiǔbēi) and use it in casual conversation, which is incorrect. For example, saying '我喝酒杯' (I drink the cup) instead of '我举觞' (I raise the cup) can lead to misunderstandings.

Write 觞

觞

Practice writing 觞 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 觞

Words Containing This Character2
觞shāngfeast觴
滥觞the origin (of some phenomenon)濫觴
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 觞 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 觞

You can say '我们举觞祝福' which means 'Let’s raise our cups in blessing.'

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