酸
Character Story & Explanation
酸 is deeply embedded in Chinese culinary and medical tradition: ancient texts like the Huangdi Neijing (c. 3rd century BCE) classify sour as one of the five flavors linked to the liver and spring season. Today, it appears in everyday phrases like 酸梅汤 (suānméi tāng, 'smoked plum drink') — a centuries-old cooling beverage documented in Ming dynasty records. The idiom 酸甜苦辣 (suān tián kǔ là) — 'sour, sweet, bitter, spicy' — symbolizes life’s full range of experiences.
Historically, 酸 evolved from seal script where 酉 clearly depicted a wine vessel, and the right side was a simplified phonetic marker. No oracle-bone form survives, but bronze inscriptions show early variants emphasizing fermentation — confirming its origin in acidic, preserved foods like pickles and vinegar.
Hi students! Today we’re learning 酸 (suān), meaning 'sour' — one of the five basic tastes in Chinese culture (alongside sweet, bitter, spicy, and salty). It’s an HSK Level 4 character, so it appears often in daily conversations about food, health, and even emotions. Notice its radical 酉 (yǒu), which relates to wine, fermentation, and liquids — a clue that sourness is tied to acidic, fermented substances like vinegar or citrus.
This character isn’t just about taste — it carries rich metaphorical uses. In modern Mandarin, 酸 can describe emotional ‘sourness’, like envy or sentimental nostalgia (e.g., ‘心里发酸’ — 'my heart feels sour', meaning 'I’m envious' or 'I feel wistful'). Understanding these layers helps you sound more natural when speaking Chinese.
The 14-stroke structure follows a clear pattern: left radical 酉 (10 strokes) + right component 廴 (yǐn, 4 strokes). While 廴 looks like ‘walking slowly’, here it’s a phonetic component hinting at pronunciation (though not perfectly — common in Chinese characters!). Practice writing it step-by-step, paying attention to the enclosed shape of 酉 and the gentle curve of the final stroke.
Example Sentences
Common Compounds
Similar Characters — Don't Mix These Up
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