酌
Character Story & Explanation
Historically, 酌 appears in bronze inscriptions and Confucian classics as part of ceremonial wine rites. In daily life today, it survives primarily in formal written contexts — especially in idioms like 斟酌再三 (zhēnzhuó zàisān, 'to deliberate repeatedly'), used in official documents, academic papers, and news reports. The phrase 商酌 (shāngzhuó, 'to consult and decide jointly') is common in business emails and government notices, reflecting its enduring role in polite, measured decision-making.
The character’s form is well-documented: 酉 (left) is a pictograph of a wine jar (oracle bone script shows a vessel with lid and spout), and 勺 (right) is a simplified form of an ancient ladle. Together, they literally depict 'ladling wine' — a concrete action that evolved into a metaphor for thoughtful consideration.
Hi students! Let’s explore 酌 (zhuó), a character with deep cultural roots. At its core, it means 'to pour wine' — not just any pouring, but the careful, respectful act of serving wine during rituals or banquets. It appears in classical texts like the Book of Rites, where proper wine service symbolized harmony and etiquette. Though rare in casual speech today, it’s essential for reading literature and formal writing.
This character belongs to the 酉 (yǒu) radical — the 'wine vessel' radical — shared by characters related to alcohol, fermentation, or time (since ancient wine-making was tied to seasonal cycles). Its 10 strokes follow a balanced structure: left-side 酉 (7 strokes) + right-side 勺 (sháo, 'spoon', 3 strokes), visually evoking a ladle scooping wine from a vessel.
Don’t confuse 酌 with everyday verbs like 倒 (dǎo, 'to pour'). 酌 carries nuance: deliberation, moderation, and ritual precision. You’ll see it in compound words like 商酌 (shāngzhuó, 'to discuss carefully') — literally 'pouring over ideas together', like sipping wine while deliberating. Mastering 酌 opens doors to classical Chinese thought and refined modern usage.
Example Sentences
Common Compounds
Similar Characters — Don't Mix These Up
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