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饮 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
饮yǐnto drinkn, 7 strokes, radical 饣, rank #8768, Very Hard
饮yǐnto swallow, to drink; a kind of drinkn, 7 strokes, radical 饣, rank #8768, Very Hard
饮yǐnto give (animals) water to drinkunknown, 7 strokes, radical 饣, rank #8768, Very Hard
饮yǐnold variant of 飲n, 7 strokes, radical 饣, rank #8768, Very Hard
饮yǐnold variant of 飲|饮[yin3]unknown, 7 strokes, radical 饣, rank #8768, Very Hard
饮yìnto drinkn, 7 strokes, radical 饣, rank #8768, Very Hard
饮yìnto swallow, to drink; a kind of drinkn, 7 strokes, radical 饣, rank #8768, Very Hard
饮yìnto give (animals) water to drinkunknown, 7 strokes, radical 饣, rank #8768, Very Hard
饮yìnold variant of 飲n, 7 strokes, radical 饣, rank #8768, Very Hard
饮yìnold variant of 飲|饮[yin3]unknown, 7 strokes, radical 饣, rank #8768, Very Hard
yǐn(yin3)yin
primary
 T3
  1. 1to drink
  2. 2to swallow, to drink; a kind of drink
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March 24, 2026

饮(㱃)yǐn(yin3)

饮 (yǐn) primarily means 'to drink' or 'a kind of drink.' It can refer to the act of swallowing liquids, as well as to any liquid that is consumed. This character is commonly used in contexts related to beverages and hydration, particularly in formal or literary settings.

Strokes7Radical饣Frequency#8768DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, drinking tea is a significant ritual, and the word 饮 is often associated with traditional tea ceremonies. This reflects the importance of beverages in social interactions and hospitality.

Memory tip

Imagine the character 饮 as a person holding a cup (the top part, 饣, looks like a table with food) and drinking (the bottom part, 乞, resembles a person leaning forward). Visualize this person joyfully drinking their favorite beverage, and remember that 'yǐn' sounds like 'yin' – think of a refreshing drink that brings balance.

Meanings of 饮

yǐn(yin3)
primary
1to drink
2to swallow, to drink; a kind of drink
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 饮

饮Simplified
㱃Traditional
7Strokes
饣Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#8768Frequency Rank

Podcast: 饮

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Podcast: 饮

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AI study notes for 饮

Quick Contrast

饮 (yǐn) vs 喝 (hē): Use 饮 for a more formal or literary context, while 喝 is more casual and common in everyday speech.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 饮 with its more common variant, 喝 (hē), which also means 'to drink' but is more informal. 饮 is used in more formal contexts, such as in menus or health-related discussions. Be mindful of the tone; use the third tone (yǐn) to avoid confusion with other characters.

HSK Study Tips

Although 饮 is not on the HSK list, understanding this character enhances your vocabulary related to food and drink, which is crucial for real-life interactions. Focus on related terms like 饮料 (yǐnliào - beverage) and 饮水 (yǐnshuǐ - drinking water) to build context.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is to use 饮 in casual conversation where 喝 would be more appropriate, such as saying '我饮水' instead of '我喝水' (Wǒ hē shuǐ). Learners should remember that 饮 has a more formal connotation.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 饮

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Etymology of 饮

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

Phonosemantic compound. 饣 represents the meaning and 欠 represents the sound. Simplified form of 飲.

Memory hint

food

Semantic (meaning)饣
+
Phonetic (sound)欠
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

饮 = 饣 + 欠. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 饮

IDS Structure⿰饣欠
饮Full character
=
饣shi2
left
欠qian4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 饮?

How to say to drink in Chinese

“to drink” in Chinese is饮yǐn

饮 (yǐn) primarily means 'to drink' or 'a kind of drink.' It can refer to the act of swallowing liquids, as well as to any liquid that is consumed. This character is commonly used in contexts related to beverages and hydration, particularly in formal or literary settings.

When to use 饮

Learners often confuse 饮 with its more common variant, 喝 (hē), which also means 'to drink' but is more informal. 饮 is used in more formal contexts, such as in menus or health-related discussions. Be mindful of the tone; use the third tone (yǐn) to avoid confusion with other characters.

饮 or something close to it

饮 (yǐn) vs 喝 (hē): Use 饮 for a more formal or literary context, while 喝 is more casual and common in everyday speech.

What learners get wrong

A common mistake is to use 饮 in casual conversation where 喝 would be more appropriate, such as saying '我饮水' instead of '我喝水' (Wǒ hē shuǐ). Learners should remember that 饮 has a more formal connotation.

Write 饮

饮

Practice writing 饮 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar patterns of 饮

饮 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 5 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.

Related grammar lessons2
Exercise 1 of 3

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

民以食为天，____食乃人生大事。

Food is heaven for the people — eating is a great matter of life.

Example sentences for 饮 (10)

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1
你的饮食中新鲜果蔬充足吗？

nǐ de yǐnshí zhōng xīnxiān guǒ shū chōngzú ma？

Are there plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet?
2
关键是你的饮食要多样化，并保持均衡。

guānjiàn shì nǐ de yǐnshí yào duōyàng huà， bìng bǎochí jūnhéng。

It is essential that your diet is varied and balanced.
3
呼吸分析器显示你饮酒过量。

hūxī fēnxī qì xiǎnshì nǐ yǐn jiǔ guòliàng。

A breathalyzer tells you you've a had a few too many.
4
至今尚不清楚他究竟是饮弹自杀还是被谋杀。

zhìjīn shàng bù qīngchu tā jiūjìng shì yǐn dàn zìshā háishi bèi móu shā。

To this day, it's unclear whether he shot himself or was murdered.
5
你确定不用我为你调一杯饮料吗？

nǐ quèdìng búyòng wǒ wèi nǐ diào yī bēi yǐnliào ma？

Are you sure I can't mix you a drink?
6
他给自己倒了一杯白兰地，没兑水就一饮而尽。

tā gěi zìjǐ dào le yī bēi bái lán dì， méi duì shuǐ jiù yī yǐn ér jìn。

He poured himself a brandy and swallowed it neat.
7
在减肥过程中保持饮食的营养相对均衡是明智的。

zài jiǎnféi guòchéng zhōng bǎochí yǐnshí de yíngyǎng xiāngduì jūnhéng shì míngzhì de。

It makes sense to eat a reasonably balanced diet when slimming.
8
你的狗应该有它自己进食和饮水用的碗。

nǐ de gǒu yīnggāi yǒu tā zìjǐ jìn shí hé yǐnshuǐ yòng de wǎn。

Your dog should have his own bowls for food and water.
9
英国也有美食，只是一般的日常饮食太过糟糕。

Yīng guó yě yǒu měishí， zhǐshì yìbān de rìcháng yǐnshí tài guò zāogāo。

English food can be wonderful but the normal English diet is abominable.
10
草药用于调制提神饮品已有好几个世纪了。

cǎoyào yòngyú diào zhì tí shén yǐn pǐn yǐ yǒu hǎo jǐ gè shìjì le。

Herbs have been used for centuries to make refreshing drinks.

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Cultural Notes for 饮

💡Did you know?

In Chinese culture, drinking tea is a significant tradition. Tea is not just a beverage, it's often part of social gatherings and ceremonies, symbolizing hospitality and respect.

Word Family of 饮

Words containing this character20
饮料yǐnliàodrink飲料
饮食yǐnshídiet飲食
饮yǐnto drink㱃
餐饮cānyǐncatering餐飲
饮酒yǐnjiǔto drink wine飲酒
饮水yǐnshuǐdrinking water飲水
饮用yǐnyòngdrink飲用
饮用水yǐnyòngshuǐdrinking water飲用水
饮品yǐnpǐnbeverage飲品
冷饮lěngyǐncold drink冷飲
畅饮chàngyǐnto have a few drinks暢飲
饮茶yǐncháto have tea and refreshments飲茶
痛饮tòngyǐnto drink one's fill痛飲
狂饮kuángyǐnto drink hard狂飲
饮水机yǐnshuǐjīwater dispenser飲水機
软饮料ruǎnyǐnliàosoft drink軟飲料
热饮rèyǐnhot drink熱飲
暴饮暴食bàoyǐnbàoshíto eat and drink unreasonably暴飲暴食
一饮而尽yìyǐn’érjìnto drain the cup in one gulp (idiom)一飲而盡
饮恨yǐnhènto nurse a grievance飲恨
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 饮

What does 饮料 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 饮

Yes, 饮 can refer to various types of drinks, not just water. It can encompass beverages like tea, juice, or any liquid that one might drink. In this context, it can be used in phrases like '饮料' (yǐnliào), which means 'beverage'.

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