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酾 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
酾shīto filter, to strainvg, 14 strokes, radical 酉
酾shīstrainunknown, 14 strokes, radical 酉
酾shāito filter, to strainvg, 14 strokes, radical 酉
酾shāistrainunknown, 14 strokes, radical 酉
shāi(shai1)
primary
T1
  1. 1to filter, to strain
  2. 2strain
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

酾(釃)shāi(shai1)

The character 酾 (shāi) refers to the process of filtering or straining liquids, often used in contexts like cooking or winemaking. It conveys the idea of separating unwanted materials from a liquid, ensuring clarity and purity in the final product.

Strokes14Radical酉
Cultural Note

In Chinese cooking, the process of straining is vital, especially in making clear soups and teas. Mastering the art of filtering ingredients reflects the importance of purity and refinement in traditional cuisine.

Memory Tip

Imagine a chef named 'Shai' who strains pasta. The '酾' character has a radical related to 'liquids' (水) and looks like a sieve. Picture Shai holding a sieve over a pot, letting only the clear water pass through, making it easy to remember that 酾 means to filter.

Meanings of 酾

shāi(shai1)
primary
1to filter, to strain
2strain
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 酾

酾Simplified
釃Traditional
14Strokes
酉Radical
动语素dòngcíverb root (v.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 酾

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Podcast: 酾

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AI Study Notes for 酾

Quick Contrast

筛 (shāi) - use 酾 (shāi) when referring specifically to filtering liquids, while 筛 (shāi) is for sifting dry materials like flour.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 酾 with similar verbs like 滤 (lǜ), which also means 'to filter.' It's important to use 酾 primarily for contexts involving liquids and straining. This word is more formal and may not be commonly used in casual conversations.

HSK Study Tips

While 酾 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects with other cooking-related terms. Students at an intermediate level should focus on related verbs and nouns in the kitchen context, enhancing their vocabulary around food preparation.

Common Mistakes

Learners may mistakenly use 酾 in contexts that do not involve liquids, such as trying to apply it to solid materials. For example, saying '我酾米' (I filter rice) is incorrect; instead, use '我洗米' (I wash rice).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 酾

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Etymology of 酾

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

wine

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 酾

  1. 1The meaning half酉 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half丽 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 酾? 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 酾?

Decomposition of 酾

IDS Structure⿰酉丽
酾Full Character
=
酉you3
left
丽Li2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 酾?

How to say to filter, to strain in Chinese

“to filter, to strain” in Chinese is酾shī

The character 酾 (shāi) refers to the process of filtering or straining liquids, often used in contexts like cooking or winemaking. It conveys the idea of separating unwanted materials from a liquid, ensuring clarity and purity in the final product.

When to use 酾

Learners often confuse 酾 with similar verbs like 滤 (lǜ), which also means 'to filter.' It's important to use 酾 primarily for contexts involving liquids and straining. This word is more formal and may not be commonly used in casual conversations.

酾 or something close to it

筛 (shāi) - use 酾 (shāi) when referring specifically to filtering liquids, while 筛 (shāi) is for sifting dry materials like flour.

What learners get wrong

Learners may mistakenly use 酾 in contexts that do not involve liquids, such as trying to apply it to solid materials. For example, saying '我酾米' (I filter rice) is incorrect; instead, use '我洗米' (I wash rice).

Write 酾

酾

Practice writing 酾 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 酾

Words Containing This Character1
酾shāito dredge釃
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 酾 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 酾

酾 is often used in culinary contexts, such as when making soups or straining liquids. It's also used in winemaking.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 酾?

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.