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酥 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
酥sūbutter; crispy, flaky; fluffy, lightHSK 7, a, 12 strokes, radical 酉, rank #11141, Very Hard
酥sūflaky pastryHSK 7, unknown, 12 strokes, radical 酉, rank #11141, Very Hard
酥sūcrunchyHSK 7, unknown, 12 strokes, radical 酉, rank #11141, Very Hard
酥sūlimpHSK 7, unknown, 12 strokes, radical 酉, rank #11141, Very Hard
酥sūsoftHSK 7, unknown, 12 strokes, radical 酉, rank #11141, Very Hard
酥sūsilkyHSK 7, unknown, 12 strokes, radical 酉, rank #11141, Very Hard
sū(su1)su T1
  1. 1butter; crispy, flaky; fluffy, light
  2. 2flaky pastry
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March 24, 2026

酥sū(su1)

The character 酥 (sū) primarily refers to a texture that is light, flaky, and often associated with baked goods. It is commonly used to describe pastry or food items that are crispy or buttery, conveying a sense of softness and delicacy. In culinary contexts, it can denote anything that has a tender, crumbly quality.

Strokes12Radical酉Frequency#11141DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese cuisine, flaky pastries like 酥皮点心 (sūpí diǎnxīn, flaky pastries) are popular during festivals and special occasions, showcasing the importance of texture in food appreciation. The character reflects a cultural emphasis on the artistry of cooking and the enjoyment of delicate flavors.

Memory tip

Imagine a soft, flaky pastry that melts in your mouth, like a buttery croissant. The character 酥 resembles a soft, fluffy cloud (the top part) resting on a rich, creamy surface (the bottom part), symbolizing its light and airy texture. The 'sū' pronunciation sounds like 'sue', as if someone is suing over the last piece of delicious pastry!

Meanings of 酥

sū(su1)
1butter; crispy, flaky; fluffy, light
2flaky pastry
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 酥

酥Simplified
12Strokes
酉Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

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Podcast: 酥

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AI study notes for 酥

Quick Contrast

酥 (sū) vs 脆 (cuì) — use 酥 for flaky, tender textures, while 脆 refers specifically to a crisp texture that breaks easily.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 酥 with similar-sounding words that refer to different textures, such as 硬 (yìng, hard) or 干 (gān, dry). This character is informal and frequently used in food contexts, so be cautious with its application in formal writing. Common collocations include 酥皮 (sūpí, flaky crust) and 酥饼 (sūbǐng, flaky pastry).

HSK Study Tips

While 酥 is not part of the standard HSK vocabulary, it connects well with food-related terms often found in HSK materials. Students should focus on learning its pronunciation and usage in contexts involving cuisine to enhance their culinary vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 酥 when describing textures like硬 (yìng, hard) or 粗 (cū, coarse), which are not applicable. For example, saying '这个饼干很酥' (zhège bǐnggān hěn sū, 'this cookie is very flaky') is correct, but saying '这个饼干很硬' (zhège bǐnggān hěn yìng, 'this cookie is very flaky') is incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 酥

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Etymology of 酥

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

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

Memory hint

grain

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

Origin

酥 = 禾 + 酉. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 酥

IDS Structure⿰酉禾
酥Full character
=
酉you3
left
禾he2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 酥?

How to say butter; crispy, flaky; fluffy, light in Chinese

“butter; crispy, flaky; fluffy, light” in Chinese is酥sū

The character 酥 (sū) primarily refers to a texture that is light, flaky, and often associated with baked goods. It is commonly used to describe pastry or food items that are crispy or buttery, conveying a sense of softness and delicacy. In culinary contexts, it can denote anything that has a tender, crumbly quality.

When to use 酥

Learners often confuse 酥 with similar-sounding words that refer to different textures, such as 硬 (yìng, hard) or 干 (gān, dry). This character is informal and frequently used in food contexts, so be cautious with its application in formal writing. Common collocations include 酥皮 (sūpí, flaky crust) and 酥饼 (sūbǐng, flaky pastry).

酥 or something close to it

酥 (sū) vs 脆 (cuì) — use 酥 for flaky, tender textures, while 脆 refers specifically to a crisp texture that breaks easily.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly use 酥 when describing textures like硬 (yìng, hard) or 粗 (cū, coarse), which are not applicable. For example, saying '这个饼干很酥' (zhège bǐnggān hěn sū, 'this cookie is very flaky') is correct, but saying '这个饼干很硬' (zhège bǐnggān hěn yìng, 'this cookie is very flaky') is incorrect.

Write 酥

酥

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

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Grammar patterns of 酥

酥 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 6 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 5

Fill the gap

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

我偏爱加有新鲜水果的精致油____甜点。

I am partial to desserts that combine fresh fruit with fine pastry.

Example sentences for 酥 (10)

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1
我偏爱加有新鲜水果的精致油酥甜点。

wǒ piān’ài jiā yǒu xīnxiān shuǐguǒ de jīngzhì yóu sū tián diǎn。

I am partial to desserts that combine fresh fruit with fine pastry.
2
把油酥面团一分为二，再分别擀成皮。

bǎ yóu sū miàn tuán yī fēnwéi èr， zài fēnbié gǎn chéng pí。

Divide the pastry in half and roll out each piece.
3
在搅拌做蛋奶酥的各种原料之前先要把盘子准备好。

zài jiǎobàn zuò dàn nǎi sū de gèzhǒng yuánliào zhīqián xiān yào bǎ pánzi zhǔnbèi hǎo。

Prepare the souffle dish before making up the souffle mixture.
4
切出四块圆形油酥面饼。

qiē chū sì kuài yuánxíng yóu sū miàn bǐng。

Cut out 4 circles of pastry.
5
将油酥面团小心地移至烤盘的各角，注意不要把它拉长。

jiāng yóu sū miàn tuán xiǎoxīn dì yí zhì kǎo pán de gè jiǎo， zhùyì búyào bǎ tā lā cháng。

Ease the pastry into the corners of the tin, making sure you don't stretch it.
6
不要吃太多浓酱汁、油炸食品和甜腻的油酥点心，因为这些食品的脂肪含量很高。

búyào chī tài duō nóng jiàng zhī、 yóuzhá shípǐn hé tián nì de yóu sū diǎnxin， yīnwèi zhèxiē shípǐn de zhīfáng hánliàng hěn gāo。

Don't indulge in rich sauces, fried food and thick pastry as these are high in fat.
7
最受欢迎的是甜馅锅魁,其特点是香 、 甜 、 酥 、 脆.

zuì shòu huānyíng de shì tián xiàn guō kuí, qí tèdiǎn shì xiāng、 tián、 sū、 cuì.

The most popular filling is sweetguo kui characterized fragrance, sweet, crisp, crisp.
8
在蛋奶酥和香滨酒后面的烤牛排是很引人注目的.

zài dàn nǎi sū hé xiāng bīn jiǔ hòumiàn de kǎo niú pái shì hěn yǐnrénzhùmù de.

Roast beef stood eminent behind the souffle and champagne.
9
香酥鸡 、 肯德基 、 道口烧鸡,大同小异.

xiāng sū jī、 kěn dé jī、 dào kǒu shāo jī, dàtóngxiǎoyì.

Dining off crispy chicken , Kentucky Fried Chicken, or Daokou braised chicken, what's the difference?
10
我建议您点香酥鸭.

wǒ jiànyì nín diǎn xiāng sū yā.

I will suggest crispy fried duck.

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Word Family of 酥

Words containing this character9
酥sūlimp
耶酥Jesus (耶稣 is more usual)
酥脆crisp (of food)
酥油butter
酥软limp酥軟
酥油茶butter tea (Tibetan, Mongolian etc drink derived from milk)
酥麻limp and numb (of limbs)
酥松flaky (pastry etc)酥鬆
酥油花butter sculpture (Tibetan art form using paint derived from milk products)
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 酥

What does 耶酥 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 酥

酥 (sū) refers to a soft, flaky texture, while 脆 (cuì) describes a hard and crunchy texture. They are both used in food descriptions but imply different qualities.

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