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酊 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
酊dīngdrunk, intoxicatedng, 9 strokes, radical 酉, rank #13325, Very Hard
酊dīngtincture (loanword)unknown, 9 strokes, radical 酉, rank #13325, Very Hard
酊dǐngdrunk, intoxicatedng, 9 strokes, radical 酉, rank #13325, Very Hard
酊dǐngtincture (loanword)unknown, 9 strokes, radical 酉, rank #13325, Very Hard
dīng(ding1)
primary
 T1
  1. 1drunk, intoxicated
  2. 2tincture (loanword)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

酊dīng(ding1)

The character 酊 (dīng) refers to a state of being drunk or intoxicated. It can also imply the use of tinctures, which are alcohol-based extracts in herbal medicine. While primarily associated with intoxication, the context in which it is used may vary, especially in medicinal discussions.

Strokes9Radical酉Frequency#13325DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, tinctures are often used for their therapeutic properties, connecting the character 酊 to practices that blend health and intoxication, particularly in herbal remedies. This reflects a cultural acceptance of alcohol's dual role in both leisure and health.

Memory Tip

Imagine a vivid scene where a person is 'dipping' their head into a cup of alcohol, becoming progressively more intoxicated. The character 酊 has the '氵' radical, which signifies water or liquid, hinting at its connection to beverages and intoxication.

Meanings of 酊

dīng(ding1)
primary
1drunk, intoxicated
2tincture (loanword)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 酊

酊Simplified
9Strokes
酉Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 酊

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Podcast: 酊

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AI Study Notes for 酊

Quick Contrast

醉 (zuì) - use 酊 when referring specifically to intoxication related to tinctures or herbal medicine, while 醉 is more general for being drunk.

Usage Notes

酊 is less common in everyday conversation compared to its synonyms for 'drunk'. Be cautious about using it in formal contexts, as it may come off as overly technical or literary. It often appears in phrases related to intoxication or herbal remedies.

HSK Study Tips

Although 酊 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, understanding it can enhance your grasp of related words like 醉 (zuì, drunk) or 酒 (jiǔ, alcohol). Focus on the context of intoxication when learning this term, as it helps in grasping its nuances.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 酊 with 醉 when talking about being drunk, but using 酊 can sound overly formal. For example, saying '我酊了' (I am drunk) should be replaced with '我醉了' (I am drunk) for everyday use.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 酊

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Etymology of 酊

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

Phonosemantic compound. 酉 represents the meaning and 丁 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

wine

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 酊

Phonosemantic compound. 酉 represents the meaning and 丁 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half酉 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half丁 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywine
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 酊? 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 酊?

Decomposition of 酊

IDS Structure⿰酉丁
酊Full Character
=
酉you3
left
丁Ding1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 酊?

How to say drunk, intoxicated in Chinese

“drunk, intoxicated” in Chinese is酊dīng

The character 酊 (dīng) refers to a state of being drunk or intoxicated. It can also imply the use of tinctures, which are alcohol-based extracts in herbal medicine. While primarily associated with intoxication, the context in which it is used may vary, especially in medicinal discussions.

When to use 酊

酊 is less common in everyday conversation compared to its synonyms for 'drunk'. Be cautious about using it in formal contexts, as it may come off as overly technical or literary. It often appears in phrases related to intoxication or herbal remedies.

酊 or something close to it

醉 (zuì) - use 酊 when referring specifically to intoxication related to tinctures or herbal medicine, while 醉 is more general for being drunk.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 酊 with 醉 when talking about being drunk, but using 酊 can sound overly formal. For example, saying '我酊了' (I am drunk) should be replaced with '我醉了' (I am drunk) for everyday use.

Write 酊

酊

Practice writing 酊 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 酊

酊 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.

Exercise 1 of 3

Complete the Sentence

我头很痛，已经酩____大醉。

I had a terrible head and was extraordinarily drunk.

Example Sentences for 酊 (2)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我头很痛，已经酩酊大醉。

wǒ tóu hěn tòng， ， yǐ jīng mǐng dīng dà。

I had a terrible head and was extraordinarily drunk.
2
可怜的汤姆在查尔斯·米拉贝尔爵士的宴会上,终于入席不久就酩酊大醉, 弄得出丑露乖,丢尽了脸皮.

kě lián de tāng mǔ zài chá ěr sī· · mǐ lā bèi ěr jué shì de yàn huì, shàng , zhōng yú rù xí bù jiǔ jiù mǐng dīng, dà zuì , nòng dé chū, chǒu lòu guāi , diū.

Poor Tom lamentably disgraced himself at Sir Charles Mirable 's table, by premature inebriation.

Word Family of 酊

Words Containing This Character3
酊dīngtincture (loanword)
酩酊大醉dead drunk
酩酊heavily intoxicated
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 酊 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 酊

酊 refers more specifically to the state of being intoxicated or to tinctures, whereas 醉 is a broader term for drunk.

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