Definitions

(noun) vinegar
(noun) jealousy (in love rivalry)

Etymology

Aged  wine ; wine gone sour

About

醋 is a phono-semantic compound. Its left component 酉, depicting an ancient wine vessel, serves as the semantic radical linking it to fermentation and brewing processes. The right component 昔, meaning "past", provides the phonetic element. The character primarily denotes vinegar, a sour liquid produced by fermenting alcoholic substances. Beyond its culinary role as a condiment, it also metaphorically represents jealousy or envy in social contexts, with "eating vinegar" being the common expression for feeling jealous in relationships.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我爱吃

Wǒ ài chī cù.

I love to eat vinegar.

在厨房里。

Cù zài chúfáng lǐ.

The vinegar is in the kitchen.

这瓶很酸。

Zhè píng cù hěn suān.

This bottle of vinegar is very sour.

面条里加点

Miàntiáo lǐ jiā diǎn cù.

Add some vinegar to the noodles.

和酱油是调料。

Cù hé jiàngyóu shì tiáoliào.

Vinegar and soy sauce are condiments.

要去超市。

Mǎi cù yào qù chāoshì.

You need to go to the supermarket to buy vinegar.

适量的有益健康。

Shìliàng de cù yǒuyì jiànkāng.

An appropriate amount of vinegar is beneficial for health.

做糖排骨需要

Zuò tángcù páigǔ xūyào cù.

Making sweet and sour pork ribs requires vinegar.