About
The character 酖 is a phono-semantic compound formed by the radical 酉, indicating a meaning related to alcohol, and the component 冘, which provides the phonetic element. Historically, it originally referred to a poisonous wine or the act of poisoning someone with such a drink. Due to the harmful nature of this beverage, its meaning expanded to describe a state of severe alcohol addiction or indulgence in destructive vices. This character is often used interchangeably with the distinct character 鸩, which denotes a legendary poisonous bird whose feathers were said to be steeped in wine to create the lethal mixture the character initially represented.
Etymology Hide
