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March 24, 2026
觴shāng(shang1)
The character 觴 (shāng) refers to a wine cup, typically used in ceremonial contexts or during feasts. It can also mean to propose a toast, highlighting the act of celebrating with drinks in social gatherings. This term often embodies the spirit of camaraderie and festivity in Chinese culture.
Strokes18Radical角
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the act of toasting is significant during banquets and celebrations, often reflecting respect and goodwill among participants. The ritual of toasting with 觴 is a traditional practice during important events like weddings and business dinners.
Memory Tip
Imagine a grand banquet where everyone is raising their wine cups (觴) to toast to friendship and good fortune. The character 觴 contains the component for 'wine' (酒) which connects to its meaning, making it easier to remember that it's about toasting and celebrating.
Meanings of 觴
shāng(shang1)
1wine cup; to propose a toast; feast
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 觴
觴Simplified
18Strokes
角Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 觴
Podcast: 觴
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AI Study Notes for 觴
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a grand banquet where everyone is raising their wine cups (觴) to toast to friendship and good fortune. The character 觴 contains the component for 'wine' (酒) which connects to its meaning, making it easier to remember that it's about toasting and celebrating.
Usage Notes
Be mindful that 觴 is often used in more formal or literary contexts rather than casual conversation. A common mistake is using it interchangeably with the general term for 'cup' (杯), which is less specific. Collocations include phrases related to toasting and celebrations.
HSK Study Tips
Though 觴 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects to other words related to dining and social occasions, such as 酒 (jiǔ - alcohol) and 祝酒 (zhùjiǔ - to propose a toast). Focus on associating it with cultural practices around drinking and festivities.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the act of toasting is significant during banquets and celebrations, often reflecting respect and goodwill among participants. The ritual of toasting with 觴 is a traditional practice during important events like weddings and business dinners.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 觴 with 杯, mistakenly using it in casual settings. For example, saying '我喝水在我的觴' (Wǒ hē shuǐ zài wǒ de shāng) is incorrect; it should be '杯' instead of '觴' when referring to a water cup.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 觴
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Cultural Notes for 觴
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the act of toasting is significant during banquets and celebrations, often reflecting respect and goodwill among participants. The ritual of toasting with 觴 is a traditional practice during important events like weddings and business dinners.
Word Family of 觴
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 觴
While 觴 specifically refers to a wine cup used in toasting, 杯 (bēi) is a more general term for any cup or glass.
No, 觴 is typically used in formal contexts or literary works, rather than in casual, everyday speech.
You can say '我们来举觴!' (Wǒmen lái jǔ shāng!), which means 'Let's raise our cups!'.
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