Meanings of 沤
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About 沤
Podcast: 沤
Podcast: 沤
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AI Study Notes for 沤
浸 (jìn) - use 沤 (ōu) when emphasizing the soaking process in liquids, while 浸 (jìn) focuses more on the act of submerging.
Learners should be careful not to confuse 沤 (ōu) with similar-sounding characters that have different meanings. It is more commonly used in informal contexts, especially in cooking, and can often be paired with words like 'tea' (茶) or 'rice' (米) to indicate soaking.
Although 沤 is not present in the official HSK word lists, understanding it can enhance your vocabulary related to food and cooking at HSK Level 3 and above. Focus on its use in sentence structures that describe preparation methods.
Learners often confuse 沤 (ōu) with 浸 (jìn), which also means to soak but implies a different process. For example, saying '我浤茶' (Wǒ hán chá) instead of '我沤茶' (Wǒ ōu chá) would be incorrect, as 沤 is the appropriate term for steeping tea.
Pronunciation of 沤
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Etymology of 沤
water
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 沤
- 1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half区 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawaywater
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 沤? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 沤
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How to say to soak, to steep; sodden, soaked in Chinese
“to soak, to steep; sodden, soaked” in Chinese is沤
The character 沤 (ōu) refers to the process of soaking or steeping something in a liquid, often resulting in a change of texture or flavor. It is commonly used in culinary contexts, such as soaking tea leaves or grains, and can also describe the frothy bubbles formed during boiling or fermentation.
When to use 沤
Learners should be careful not to confuse 沤 (ōu) with similar-sounding characters that have different meanings. It is more commonly used in informal contexts, especially in cooking, and can often be paired with words like 'tea' (茶) or 'rice' (米) to indicate soaking.
沤 or something close to it
浸 (jìn) - use 沤 (ōu) when emphasizing the soaking process in liquids, while 浸 (jìn) focuses more on the act of submerging.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 沤 (ōu) with 浸 (jìn), which also means to soak but implies a different process. For example, saying '我浤茶' (Wǒ hán chá) instead of '我沤茶' (Wǒ ōu chá) would be incorrect, as 沤 is the appropriate term for steeping tea.
Write 沤
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Practice writing 沤 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 沤
Compound Meaning
What does 沤 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 沤
While both can mean to soak, 泡 (pào) typically refers to soaking in a more casual sense, like brewing tea, whereas 沤 (ōu) implies a more thorough soaking process, often in cooking.
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