Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
饈 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
xiūfood, meal; to eat; to offerx, 19 strokes, radical 飠, Very Hard
xiū(xiu1) T1
  1. 1food, meal; to eat; to offer
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
xiū(xiu1)

饈 (xiū) refers to food or a meal, often with a connotation of delicacy or something particularly appealing. It can also imply the act of offering food in a ceremonial or respectful context. This character is less common in everyday conversation, usually found in literary or formal settings.

Strokes19RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, offering food, especially delicacies, is a sign of respect and hospitality towards guests. The concept of sharing food reflects the importance of community and connection in Chinese society.

Memory Tip

Imagine a feast laid out on a table, where the delicious food is both enticing and respectful, as if it is being presented in a ceremonial manner. The character 饈 has the radical for food (食) on the left, reminding you that this word is all about food.

Meanings of 饈

xiū(xiu1)
1food, meal; to eat; to offer
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 饈

Simplified
19Strokes
Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 饈

JasonAmy

Podcast:

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 饈

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a feast laid out on a table, where the delicious food is both enticing and respectful, as if it is being presented in a ceremonial manner. The character 饈 has the radical for food (食) on the left, reminding you that this word is all about food.

Usage Notes

饈 is generally used in formal contexts or literary works, so it may not be suitable for casual conversation. Be cautious with its tone, as it carries a slightly elevated or archaic feel. Common collocations include 饈饕 (xiūtāo), which means 'to feast upon'.

HSK Study Tips

While 饈 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it relates to other food-related characters, such as 食 (shí, to eat). Students should focus on recognizing the food radical and understanding its formal usage to enhance their vocabulary in a culinary context.

Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, offering food, especially delicacies, is a sign of respect and hospitality towards guests. The concept of sharing food reflects the importance of community and connection in Chinese society.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 饈 with 食 and use it interchangeably in casual contexts. For instance, saying '我想吃饈' (I want to eat delicacies) sounds awkward; it's better to use 食 in everyday situations.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 饈

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 饈

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

food

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 饈?

Decomposition of 饈

IDS Structure⿰飠羞
Full Character
=
shi2
left
xiu1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 饈?

Write 饈

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 饈

🏮Cultural insight

In traditional Chinese culture, offering food, especially delicacies, is a sign of respect and hospitality towards guests. The concept of sharing food reflects the importance of community and connection in Chinese society.

Word Family of 饈

Words Containing This Character3
xiūdelicacies
珍馐delicacy珍饈
珍馐美味delicacy and fine taste (idiom); a wonderful treat珍饈美味
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 馐 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 饈

No, 饈 is more commonly found in formal or literary contexts rather than in everyday speech.