About
Composed of the alcohol radical "酉" and the phonetic component "冘", the character "酖" originally denoted a specific concoction of poisoned wine used for lethal purposes. Over time, its meaning expanded from the literal toxic beverage to describe the act of excessive drinking or indulgence in alcohol, reflecting a shift from a tangible object to an associated behavior. This semantic development led to some functional overlap with the character "耽", which shares the same phonetic element but generally conveys delay or broader indulgence, while "酖" maintained its primary connection to alcoholic excess.
Etymology Hide
