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醍 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
醍tíessential oil of buttern, 16 strokes, radical 酉, rank #36671, Very Hard
tí(ti2) T2
  1. 1essential oil of butter
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

醍tí(ti2)

The character 醍 (tí) refers to the essential oil derived from butter, often used in traditional Chinese cooking and medicine. It has a rich, creamy connotation and is associated with flavor enhancement in culinary practices. Although less commonly used in modern contexts, it retains a historical significance in discussions about traditional ingredients.

Strokes16Radical酉Frequency#36671DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese cuisine, 醍 plays a role in enhancing the flavors of dishes, particularly in regional specialties. It reflects the importance of ingredient quality and the art of cooking in Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a rich, creamy butter melting into a dish, creating a delightful aroma. The character 醍 resembles a pot (the top part) with creamy butter inside (the bottom part), helping you remember its association with butter and its flavor essence.

Meanings of 醍

tí(ti2)
1essential oil of butter
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 醍

醍Simplified
16Strokes
酉Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 醍

JasonAmy

Podcast: 醍

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 醍

Usage Notes

When using 醍, it's important to note that it is more formal and specific compared to more commonly used words for butter. It is often found in culinary texts or discussions about traditional cooking. Be careful with pronunciation; the second tone (tí) can be confused with other similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

Although 醍 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects with other culinary terms you may encounter at higher levels. Focus on its usage in traditional recipes and its context within Chinese gastronomy to deepen your understanding of Chinese cuisine language.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 醍 with more general terms for butter, leading to vague usage. For example, saying '我喜欢醍' instead of '我喜欢黄油' (I like butter) can sound awkward since 醍 has a more specialized meaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 醍

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Etymology of 醍

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

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

Memory Hint

wine

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 醍

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

  1. 1The meaning half酉 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half是 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 醍? 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 醍?

Decomposition of 醍

IDS Structure⿰酉是
醍Full Character
=
酉you3
left
是shi4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 醍?

How to say essential oil of butter in Chinese

“essential oil of butter” in Chinese is醍tí

The character 醍 (tí) refers to the essential oil derived from butter, often used in traditional Chinese cooking and medicine. It has a rich, creamy connotation and is associated with flavor enhancement in culinary practices. Although less commonly used in modern contexts, it retains a historical significance in discussions about traditional ingredients.

When to use 醍

When using 醍, it's important to note that it is more formal and specific compared to more commonly used words for butter. It is often found in culinary texts or discussions about traditional cooking. Be careful with pronunciation; the second tone (tí) can be confused with other similar-sounding words.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 醍 with more general terms for butter, leading to vague usage. For example, saying '我喜欢醍' instead of '我喜欢黄油' (I like butter) can sound awkward since 醍 has a more specialized meaning.

Write 醍

醍

Practice writing 醍 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 醍

Words Containing This Character3
醍醐灌顶flawless Buddhist teaching醍醐灌頂
醍tíessential oil of butter
醍醐nirvana
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 醍醐灌顶 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 醍

醍 specifically refers to the essential oil of butter, while other words like 黄油 (huángyóu) directly mean butter.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 醍?

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