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酵 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
酵
jiào
yeast; to leaven
n, 14 strokes, radical 酉, rank #79081, Very Hard
酵
jiào
leavening
unknown, 14 strokes, radical 酉, rank #79081, Very Hard
酵
jiào
fermentation
unknown, 14 strokes, radical 酉, rank #79081, Very Hard
酵
jiào
Taiwan pr. [xiao4]
unknown, 14 strokes, radical 酉, rank #79081, Very Hard
jiào(jiao4)jiao T4
1yeast; to leaven
2leavening
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March 24, 2026
酵jiào(jiao4)
酵 (jiào) refers to yeast, a fungus used in baking and brewing to cause fermentation. It is commonly used in contexts related to cooking, particularly for making bread and alcoholic beverages, where leavening is required to create a light texture.
Strokes14Radical酉Frequency#79081DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In Chinese cuisine, fermentation is a vital process not just for baking, but also for traditional foods like soy sauce and pickled vegetables, showcasing the importance of fermentation in enhancing flavors.
Memory tip
Imagine a 'jolly' baker who uses yeast to make fluffy bread. The left part '酉' looks like a cup, suggesting the brewing process, while the right part '交' sounds like 'jiao' and reminds you of the mixture of ingredients in fermentation.
Meanings of 酵
jiào(jiao4)
1yeast; to leaven
2leavening
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 酵 means.
About 酵
酵Simplified
14Strokes
酉Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 酵
Podcast: 酵
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AI Study Notes for 酵
Quick Contrast
酵母 (jiàomǔ) refers specifically to yeast as a biological organism, while 酵 (jiào) can refer to the fermentation process or the action of leavening.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the pronunciation; the common mispronunciation uses the fourth tone (xiao4), which can alter the meaning. This term is mainly used in culinary contexts, and collocations include '酵母' (yeast) and '发酵' (fermentation).
HSK Study Tips
Although 酵 is not included in the official HSK levels, it connects to HSK vocabulary related to cooking and food. Students should focus on understanding fermentation processes and related terms to enhance their culinary vocabulary.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 酵 with similar-sounding words like 小 (xiǎo), which means 'small.' For example, saying '发酵' (fāxiǎo) instead of '发酵' (fājiào) is a common mistake; the correct term for fermentation should use the first tone.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 酵
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How Well Do You Know 酵?
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Learning Lab
Knowing 酵 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
酵 = 酉 + 孝. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 酵
IDS Structure⿰酉孝
酵Full character
=
酉you3
left
孝xiao4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 酵?
How to say yeast; to leaven in Chinese
“yeast; to leaven” in Chinese is酵jiào
酵 (jiào) refers to yeast, a fungus used in baking and brewing to cause fermentation. It is commonly used in contexts related to cooking, particularly for making bread and alcoholic beverages, where leavening is required to create a light texture.
When to use 酵
Be cautious with the pronunciation; the common mispronunciation uses the fourth tone (xiao4), which can alter the meaning. This term is mainly used in culinary contexts, and collocations include '酵母' (yeast) and '发酵' (fermentation).
酵 or something close to it
酵母 (jiàomǔ) refers specifically to yeast as a biological organism, while 酵 (jiào) can refer to the fermentation process or the action of leavening.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 酵 with similar-sounding words like 小 (xiǎo), which means 'small.' For example, saying '发酵' (fāxiǎo) instead of '发酵' (fājiào) is a common mistake; the correct term for fermentation should use the first tone.
Write 酵
酵
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Practice writing 酵 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 酵
酵 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 4 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 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
和好的面包面团靠火放着,好让它发____.
The bread mixture was set beside the fire to rise.
Example Sentences for 酵 (10)
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1
和好的面包面团靠火放着,好让它发酵.
héhǎo de miànbāo miàn tuán kào huǒ fàng zhe, hǎo ràng tā fājiào.
The bread mixture was set beside the fire to rise.
2
能在肠胃里迅速发酵的食物是绝佳的天然通便剂。
néng zài cháng wèi lǐ xùnsù fājiào de shíwù shì jué jiā de tiānrán tōng biàn jì。
Foods that ferment quickly in the stomach are excellent natural laxatives.
3
茶开始散发涩味的过程称作发酵。
chá kāishǐ sànfā sè wèi de guòchéng chēngzuò fājiào。
The process, in which the tea develops its characteristic astringency, is known as fermentation.
