wine, spirits, liquor, alcohol

JLPT N2 10 strokes

Words with this Kanji

Meaning and Usage

The character (jiǔ) primarily refers to alcoholic beverages such as wine, spirits, and liquor. It is a common noun used in everyday conversation when talking about drinking alcohol or types of alcoholic drinks.

Common Collocations

  • (hē jiǔ): to drink alcohol
  • 葡萄酒 (pútáojiǔ): wine (literally 'grape wine')
  • 白酒 (báijiǔ): a strong Chinese distilled spirit
  • 酒吧 (jiǔbā): bar or pub

Usage Notes

is a general term for alcohol and can refer to many types of alcoholic drinks. When specifying types, it is often combined with other characters, like 葡萄 (grape) for wine or (white) for baijiu. It is used in both formal and informal contexts. When talking about drinking socially or celebrating, is the common phrase.

Common Confusions

Do not confuse with 饮料 (yǐnliào), which means 'beverage' in general and includes non-alcoholic drinks. specifically implies alcoholic content.

Summary

is an essential word for discussing alcohol in Chinese, useful in social, culinary, and cultural contexts. It appears in many compound words and phrases related to drinking and alcohol culture.

Example Sentences

He likes drinking red wine, especially French wine.

During the Spring Festival, family members often drink alcohol together to

This restaurant has many kinds of alcohol, including beer, baijiu, and wine.