Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
豉 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
chǐfermented beansx, 11 strokes, radical 豆
chǐsalted fermented beansunknown, 11 strokes, radical 豆
shìfermented beansx, 11 strokes, radical 豆
shìsalted fermented beansunknown, 11 strokes, radical 豆
shì(shi4)
primary
T4
  1. 1fermented beans
  2. 2salted fermented beans
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

shì(shi4)

The character 豉 (shì) refers to fermented soybeans, often used in Chinese cuisine as a flavor enhancer or condiment. It can denote both the fermented beans themselves and the products made from them, such as fermented bean paste, which is a common ingredient in various dishes.

Strokes11Radical
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese cooking, fermented soybeans are a staple ingredient, especially in the preparation of dishes like doubanjiang (豆瓣酱), a spicy bean paste essential in Sichuan cuisine. This highlights the importance of fermentation in enhancing flavors in Chinese culinary practices.

Memory Tip

Imagine a pair of soybeans (豆) wearing a chef's hat, as they have undergone a 'fermentation' (the radical 豕 suggests something related to food preparation). Picture them being salty and flavorful, ready to enhance a delicious dish, which will help you remember both the meaning and the pronunciation 'shì'.

Meanings of 豉

shì(shi4)
primary
1fermented beans
2salted fermented beans
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 豉

Simplified
11Strokes
Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 豉

JasonAmy

Podcast:

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 豉

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a pair of soybeans (豆) wearing a chef's hat, as they have undergone a 'fermentation' (the radical 豕 suggests something related to food preparation). Picture them being salty and flavorful, ready to enhance a delicious dish, which will help you remember both the meaning and the pronunciation 'shì'.

Usage Notes

豉 is often used in culinary contexts, particularly in southern Chinese cuisines. Be careful not to confuse it with similar characters that relate to other fermented products. The tone can be tricky; make sure to pronounce it with a falling tone (shì) to avoid confusion with other words.

HSK Study Tips

Although 豉 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects to related food terms at HSK Level 1 and 2, such as 豆 (dòu, bean) and 酱 (jiàng, sauce). Focus on practicing its pronunciation and usage in cooking contexts to build a relevant vocabulary.

Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese cooking, fermented soybeans are a staple ingredient, especially in the preparation of dishes like doubanjiang (豆瓣酱), a spicy bean paste essential in Sichuan cuisine. This highlights the importance of fermentation in enhancing flavors in Chinese culinary practices.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 豉 with similar characters like 豆 (dòu, bean), leading to incorrect interpretations. Remember that 豉 specifically refers to the fermented product, while 豆 refers to the raw bean.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 豉

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 豉

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

beans

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 豉?

Decomposition of 豉

IDS Structure⿰豆支
Full Character
=
dou4
left
Zhi1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 豉?

Write 豉

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Cultural Notes for 豉

🏮Cultural insight

In traditional Chinese cooking, fermented soybeans are a staple ingredient, especially in the preparation of dishes like doubanjiang (豆瓣酱), a spicy bean paste essential in Sichuan cuisine. This highlights the importance of fermentation in enhancing flavors in Chinese culinary practices.

Word Family of 豉

Words Containing This Character3
豆豉black bean
shìsalted fermented beans
蚝豉dried oyster meat蠔豉
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 豆豉 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 豉

豉 is used in various dishes, especially in sauces and pastes like doubanjiang, which is essential in many stir-fries.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after ?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.