Mandarin TempleMandarin TempleCome for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
酸 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
酸suānsourHSK 4, n, 14 strokes, radical 酉, rank #3789, Medium
酸suāntartHSK 4, n, 14 strokes, radical 酉, rank #3789, Medium
酸suānsick at heartHSK 4, n, 14 strokes, radical 酉, rank #3789, Medium
酸suāngrievedHSK 4, n, 14 strokes, radical 酉, rank #3789, Medium
酸suānsoreHSK 4, n, 14 strokes, radical 酉, rank #3789, Medium
酸suānachingHSK 4, n, 14 strokes, radical 酉, rank #3789, Medium
酸suānpedanticHSK 4, n, 14 strokes, radical 酉, rank #3789, Medium
酸suānimpracticalHSK 4, n, 14 strokes, radical 酉, rank #3789, Medium
酸suānan acidHSK 4, n, 14 strokes, radical 酉, rank #3789, Medium
酸suāntart, sour; spoiled; acidHSK 4, n, 14 strokes, radical 酉, rank #3789, Medium
suān(suan1)suan T1
  1. 1sour
  2. 2tart
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

酸suān(suan1)

The character 酸 (suān) primarily means 'sour' or 'acidic,' often used to describe flavors in food and drink. In a broader context, it can convey feelings of grief, disappointment, or physical discomfort, such as soreness or aching. It's commonly used in culinary contexts and emotional expressions, indicating both taste and sentiment.

Strokes14Radical酉Frequency#3789DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese cuisine, sour flavors are essential, particularly in dishes from regions like Sichuan, where 酸 is often balanced with spicy elements. Additionally, the expression 酸葡萄 (suān pútáo, 'sour grapes') reflects a cultural understanding of jealousy or disappointment.

Memory Tip

Imagine a sour lemon (酸) that makes your face scrunch up. The character's radical 酉 (yǒu) resembles a cup, hinting at tasting something sour. Picture yourself squeezing the lemon into a cup, feeling the acidity and remembering 'suān' as your face twists in reaction to the taste.

Meanings of 酸

suān(suan1)
1sour
2tart
Exercise 1 of 3

By ear

Play it, then pick what 酸 means.

About 酸

酸Simplified
14Strokes
酉Radical
名形词xíngróngcíadj-noun (adj.-n.)Part of Speech
#3789Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1

Podcast: 酸

JasonAmy

Podcast: 酸

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 酸

Quick Contrast

酸 (suān) vs 苦 (kǔ) — use 酸 for sourness or acidity, while 苦 refers to bitterness.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 酸 with other taste-related characters like 甜 (tián) meaning 'sweet.' This term can be used in both formal and informal contexts; however, emotional uses may be more conversational. Common collocations include 酸味 (suānwèi, 'sour taste') and 酸痛 (suāntòng, 'soreness').

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 4 word, 酸 connects to other taste-related vocabulary, such as 甜 (sweet) and 苦 (bitter), helping learners build a vocabulary around food and flavor. Students should focus on recognizing its emotional connotations as well as its culinary uses.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 酸 with its antonyms, such as using it to describe something sweet. For instance, saying '这个苹果酸' (this apple is sour) is correct, but saying '这个苹果酸' while intending to mean 'sweet' is a mistake.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 酸

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 酸 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

Jason Explains 酸 to You

Let me explain 酸 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 酸 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.

How Well Do You Know 酸?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 酸 is seven skills, not one.

Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Etymology of 酸

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

Wine 酉 aged too long 夋; 夋 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 酸?

Decomposition of 酸

IDS Structure⿰酉夋
酸Full Character
=
酉you3
left
夋qun1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 酸?

How to say sour in Chinese

“sour” in Chinese is酸suān

The character 酸 (suān) primarily means 'sour' or 'acidic,' often used to describe flavors in food and drink. In a broader context, it can convey feelings of grief, disappointment, or physical discomfort, such as soreness or aching. It's commonly used in culinary contexts and emotional expressions, indicating both taste and sentiment.

When to use 酸

Be careful not to confuse 酸 with other taste-related characters like 甜 (tián) meaning 'sweet.' This term can be used in both formal and informal contexts; however, emotional uses may be more conversational. Common collocations include 酸味 (suānwèi, 'sour taste') and 酸痛 (suāntòng, 'soreness').

酸 or something close to it

酸 (suān) vs 苦 (kǔ) — use 酸 for sourness or acidity, while 苦 refers to bitterness.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 酸 with its antonyms, such as using it to describe something sweet. For instance, saying '这个苹果酸' (this apple is sour) is correct, but saying '这个苹果酸' while intending to mean 'sweet' is a mistake.

Write 酸

酸

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 酸

酸 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 10 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.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

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

硝____盐是水和土壤中自然存在的化学物质。

Nitrates are chemicals that occur naturally in water and the soil.

Common Confusions with 酸

酸vs丝
sī

Similar pronunciation but different meanings.

酸vs算
suàn

Similar pronunciation but different meanings.

Exercise 1 of 1

Which one

Which one means “sour”?

or

Usage Notes for 酸

Misuse of 酸 in descriptionsCommon Error

Students sometimes confuse 酸 (sour) with other taste-related adjectives. It should be used specifically for sourness, not for general negative tastes.

1

这道菜酸得很。

This dish is very sour.

Exercise 1 of 1

Get it right

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

这道菜____得很。

This dish is very sour.

Example Sentences for 酸 (15)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
nsour13
1
硝酸盐是水和土壤中自然存在的化学物质。

xiāo suān yán shì shuǐ hé tǔ rǎng zhōng zì rán cún zài de huà xué wù zhì。

Nitrates are chemicals that occur naturally in water and the soil.
2
那种香草几个世纪以来都被用来制作酸乳。

nà zhǒng xiāng cǎo jī gè shì jì yǐ lái dū bèi yòng lái zhì zuò suān rǔ。

The herb has been used for centuries to curdle milk.
3
别这么吝啬布料，不然做出来的窗帘会显得特寒酸。

bié zhè mó lìn sè bù liào， ， bù rán zuò chū lái de chuāng lián huì xiǎn dé tè hán。

Don't be mean with fabric, otherwise curtains will end up looking skimpy.
4
酸黄瓜、果酱、腌浆果、西红柿，凡是你说得出的，他们都有。

suān huáng guā、 、 guǒ、 jiàng 、 ā、 jiāng guǒ 、， xī hóng shì ， fán shì nǐ， shuō dé chū de。

Pickled cucumbers, jam, pickled berries, tomatoes; you name it, they've got it.
5
特别推荐想要放松情绪、缓解肌肉酸痛的人泡泥浆浴。

tè bié tuī jiàn xiǎng yào fàng sōng qíng xù、 、 huǎn jiě jī ròu suān tòng de rén pào ní jiāng。

The Mud Bath is particularly recommended for relieving tension and stiff muscles.
6
人们发现橙子、柠檬和酸橙能治疗坏血病。

rén mén fā xiàn chéng zǐ、 、 níng méng hé suān chéng néng zhì liáo huài xiě。

Oranges, lemons and limes were found to cure scurvy.
7
娜奥米把她当母亲的经历字字辛酸地写进了小说。

nà ào mǐ bǎ tā dāng mǔ qīn de jīng lì zì zì xīn suān dì xiě jìn le xiǎo shuō。

Naomi's mothering experiences are poignantly described in her fiction.
8
谷仓里弥漫着新粪酸甜的气味。

gǔ cāng lǐ mí màn zháo xīn fèn suān tián de qì wèi。

The barn was filled with the sour-sweet smell of fresh dung.
9
柠檬汁和酸橙汁暂时都缺货。

níng méng zhī hé suān chéng zhī zàn shí dū quē huò。

Lemon and lime juice were both temporarily out of stock.
10
酸雨也并非在任何情况下都是坏事。

suān yǔ yě bìng fēi zài rèn hé qíng kuàng xià dū shì huài shì。

Nor is acid rain always, and universally, a bad thing.
11
这个酸奶的味道非常酸，喝起来让人精神一振。

Zhège suānnǎi de wèidào fēicháng suān, hē qǐlái ràng rén jīngshén yī zhèn.

This yogurt tastes very sour, giving a refreshing jolt.
12
她的料理中总是加入一些酸橙汁，使得味道更加鲜美。

Tā de liàolǐ zhōng zǒng shì jiārù yīxiē suānchéng zhī, shǐdé wèidào gèngjiā xiānměi.

She always adds some lime juice to her dishes to enhance the flavor.
13
这种水果虽然看起来很漂亮，但尝起来却非常酸。

Zhè zhǒng shuǐguǒ suīrán kàn qǐlái hěn piàoliang, dàn cháng qǐlái què fēicháng suān.

This fruit looks beautiful, but it tastes very sour.
ntart2
14
这个柠檬太酸了，我的脸都皱起来了。

Zhège níngméng tài suān le, wǒ de liǎn dōu zhòu qǐlái le.

This lemon is so tart, my face scrunched up.
15
这些酸梅很好吃，但味道有点太酸了。

Zhèxiē suānméi hěn hǎochī, dàn wèidào yǒudiǎn tài suān le.

These tart plums are delicious, but the taste is a bit too tart.

Ask Jason

Have a question about 酸?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.

Word Family of 酸

Words Containing This Character20
酸suānsour
酸奶suānnǎiyogurt
硫酸sulfate
心酸xīnsuānto feel sad
盐酸hydrochloric acid HCl鹽酸
氨基酸amino acid
酸痛to ache
磷酸phosphoric acid
碳酸carbonic acid
脂肪酸fatty acid
酸性acidity
尖酸harsh
乳酸lactic acid
辛酸xīnsuānbitter
胃酸gastric acid
寒酸wretched
酸菜pickled vegetables, especially Chinese cabbage
硝酸nitric acid
丙烯酸acrylic acid C3H4O2
核酸nucleic acid
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 酸

What does 酸奶 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 酸

Some synonyms for 酸 (suān) include '酸涩' (suān sè), meaning 'astringent,' and '酸痛' (suān tòng), which means 'sore' or 'aching.' These words can help you express similar feelings or tastes in different contexts.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 酸?

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.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab