HSK 3, n, 10 strokes, radical 酉, rank #530, Medium
酒
jiǔ
liquor
HSK 3, n, 10 strokes, radical 酉, rank #530, Medium
酒
jiǔ
spirits
HSK 3, n, 10 strokes, radical 酉, rank #530, Medium
酒
jiǔ
alcoholic beverage
HSK 3, n, 10 strokes, radical 酉, rank #530, Medium
酒
jiǔ
wine, spirits, liquor, alcohol
HSK 3, n, 10 strokes, radical 酉, rank #530, Medium
jiǔ(jiu3) T3
1wine (esp. rice wine)
2liquor
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March 24, 2026
酒jiǔ(jiu3)
The character 酒 (jiǔ) refers to alcoholic beverages, primarily wine and liquor. It is commonly used to describe various types of drinks, with a particular emphasis on rice wine in Chinese culture. This term is prevalent in social settings and celebratory occasions, where drinking is a part of tradition.
Strokes10Radical酉Frequency#530DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, 酒 plays a significant role in social rituals and celebrations, such as weddings and festivals. The tradition of toasting with 酒 is a way to show respect and friendship, often accompanied by specific phrases and etiquette.
Memory Tip
Imagine a cozy gathering where friends are toasting with glasses of rice wine. The character 酒 resembles a glass with liquid inside (the radical resembles a drop), and you can associate the sound 'jiǔ' with the cheer of 'Cheers!' as you raise your drink.
Meanings of 酒
jiǔ(jiu3)
1wine (esp. rice wine)
2liquor
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 酒
酒Simplified
10Strokes
酉Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#530Frequency Rank
杯Measure Word
HSK 3.0L3ElementaryTOCFLL2HSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 酒
Podcast: 酒
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AI Study Notes for 酒
Quick Contrast
酒 (jiǔ) vs 饮料 (yǐnliào) — use 酒 when referring specifically to alcoholic beverages, while 饮料 refers to non-alcoholic drinks.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a cozy gathering where friends are toasting with glasses of rice wine. The character 酒 resembles a glass with liquid inside (the radical resembles a drop), and you can associate the sound 'jiǔ' with the cheer of 'Cheers!' as you raise your drink.
Usage Notes
When using 酒, remember that it is often combined with other words to specify types of alcohol, such as 白酒 (báijiǔ) for white liquor or 葡萄酒 (pútáojiǔ) for grape wine. Be cautious with tones; using the wrong tone can lead to misunderstandings, such as mixing it up with '久' (jiǔ) meaning 'long time'.
HSK Study Tips
Although 酒 is not formally included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it is essential for social conversations in levels 2 and 3. Focus on collocations and phrases involving 酒, as they often come up in dialogues about dining and celebrations.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, 酒 plays a significant role in social rituals and celebrations, such as weddings and festivals. The tradition of toasting with 酒 is a way to show respect and friendship, often accompanied by specific phrases and etiquette.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 酒 with '久' (jiǔ), which means 'long time.' Remember that 酒 relates to drinks, while 久 pertains to duration. For example, saying '我想喝久' (wǒ xiǎng hē jiǔ) is incorrect; it should be '我想喝酒' (wǒ xiǎng hē jiǔ).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 酒
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Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 酉 represents the sound. The 酉 component is a pictograph of a container for wine, so it also serves as a meaning component.
Memory Hint
A jar 酉 of wine 氵; 酉 also provides the pronunciation
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Practice writing 酒 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 酒
酒 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.
Some of the finest drinking glasses are made from lead crystal.
7
他们听见酒瓶摔碎的声音，然后是一阵更喧闹的笑声。
tā mén tīng jiàn jiǔ píng shuāi suì de shēng yīn， ， rán hòu shì yī zhèn gēng xuān nào de xiào。
They heard a bottle being smashed, then more raucous laughter.
8
法国西南部的这个地区是干红葡萄酒的产地。
fǎ guó xī nán bù de zhè gè dì qū shì gān hóng pú táo jiǔ de chǎn dì。
This south-west region of France is the home of claret.
9
诺克斯擅自作主，选了葡萄酒。
nuò kè sī shàn zì zuò zhǔ， ， xuǎn le pú táo。
Knox had taken it on himself to choose the wine.
10
参观酒窖前，游客们先观看了有声的视频介绍。
cān guān jiǔ jiào qián， ， yóu kè mén xiān guān kàn le yǒu shēng de shì pín jiè。
Visitors are shown an audio-visual presen-tation before touring the cellars.
Cultural Notes for 酒
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, drinking wine or liquor is often part of social gatherings and celebrations. Rice wine, in particular, is traditional in many Chinese rituals and festivals.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, 酒 plays a significant role in social rituals and celebrations, such as weddings and festivals. The tradition of toasting with 酒 is a way to show respect and friendship, often accompanied by specific phrases and etiquette.
Word Family of 酒
Words Containing This Character20
酒jiǔliquor
酒店jiǔdiànwine shop
酒吧jiǔbābar
啤酒píjiǔbeer (loanword)
喝酒to drink (alcohol)
酒精jiǔjīngalcohol
葡萄酒pútaojiǔ(grape) wine
酗酒xùjiǔheavy drinking
白酒báijiǔbaijiu, a spirit usually distilled from sorghum
鸡尾酒cocktail (loanword)雞尾酒
酒鬼jiǔguǐdrunkard
饮酒to drink wine飲酒
酒楼jiǔlóurestaurant酒樓
酒杯wine cup
戒酒to give up drinking
酒馆tavern酒館
酒会drinking party酒會
酒后after drinking酒後
美酒good wine
酿酒to brew wine釀酒
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 酒 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 酒
While 酒 (jiǔ) translates to 'wine' in English, it has a broader meaning that includes all types of alcoholic beverages. In casual conversation, it refers to rice wine specifically, but it can also denote liquor or spirits in general, depending on the context.
酒 (jiǔ) means 'wine' or 'alcoholic beverage' in Chinese. It is often used to refer specifically to rice wine, but can also encompass various types of liquor and spirits. In Chinese culture, 酒 plays a significant role in social gatherings and celebrations.
You can use 酒 (jiǔ) in sentences to refer to alcoholic drinks. For example, '我喜欢喝酒' (Wǒ xǐhuān hē jiǔ) means 'I like to drink wine.' It's a common term used in both casual and formal contexts when discussing beverages.
白酒 (báijiǔ) is a strong distilled liquor, while 葡萄酒 (pútáojiǔ) refers specifically to wine made from grapes.
Yes, 酒 is a general term for alcoholic beverages, but it can be more specific when combined with other characters.
Yes, especially in social contexts and discussions about dining, celebrations, or when inviting someone to drink.
