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March 24, 2026
酸suān(suan1)
The character 酸 (suān) primarily means 'sour' or 'acidic,' often used to describe flavors in food and drink. In a broader context, it can convey feelings of grief, disappointment, or physical discomfort, such as soreness or aching. It's commonly used in culinary contexts and emotional expressions, indicating both taste and sentiment.
Strokes14Radical酉Frequency#3789DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese cuisine, sour flavors are essential, particularly in dishes from regions like Sichuan, where 酸 is often balanced with spicy elements. Additionally, the expression 酸葡萄 (suān pútáo, 'sour grapes') reflects a cultural understanding of jealousy or disappointment.
Memory Tip
Imagine a sour lemon (酸) that makes your face scrunch up. The character's radical 酉 (yǒu) resembles a cup, hinting at tasting something sour. Picture yourself squeezing the lemon into a cup, feeling the acidity and remembering 'suān' as your face twists in reaction to the taste.
Meanings of 酸
suān(suan1)
1sour
2tart
Exercise 1 of 3
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 酸
酸Simplified
14Strokes
酉Radical
名形词xíngróngcíadj-noun (adj.-n.)Part of Speech
#3789Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1
Podcast: 酸
Podcast: 酸
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AI Study Notes for 酸
Quick Contrast
酸 (suān) vs 苦 (kǔ) — use 酸 for sourness or acidity, while 苦 refers to bitterness.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a sour lemon (酸) that makes your face scrunch up. The character's radical 酉 (yǒu) resembles a cup, hinting at tasting something sour. Picture yourself squeezing the lemon into a cup, feeling the acidity and remembering 'suān' as your face twists in reaction to the taste.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 酸 with other taste-related characters like 甜 (tián) meaning 'sweet.' This term can be used in both formal and informal contexts; however, emotional uses may be more conversational. Common collocations include 酸味 (suānwèi, 'sour taste') and 酸痛 (suāntòng, 'soreness').
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK 4 word, 酸 connects to other taste-related vocabulary, such as 甜 (sweet) and 苦 (bitter), helping learners build a vocabulary around food and flavor. Students should focus on recognizing its emotional connotations as well as its culinary uses.
Cultural Note
In Chinese cuisine, sour flavors are essential, particularly in dishes from regions like Sichuan, where 酸 is often balanced with spicy elements. Additionally, the expression 酸葡萄 (suān pútáo, 'sour grapes') reflects a cultural understanding of jealousy or disappointment.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 酸 with its antonyms, such as using it to describe something sweet. For instance, saying '这个苹果酸' (this apple is sour) is correct, but saying '这个苹果酸' while intending to mean 'sweet' is a mistake.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 酸
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Grammar Patterns of 酸
酸 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 10 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
硝____盐是水和土壤中自然存在的化学物质。
Nitrates are chemicals that occur naturally in water and the soil.
Common Confusions with 酸
酸vs算
suàn
Similar pronunciation but different meanings.
酸vs丝
sī
Similar pronunciation but different meanings.
Exercise 1 of 1
Spot the Difference
Which character means "sour"?
or
Usage Notes for 酸
Misuse of 酸 in descriptionsCommon Error
Students sometimes confuse 酸 (sour) with other taste-related adjectives. It should be used specifically for sourness, not for general negative tastes.
Nor is acid rain always, and universally, a bad thing.
Cultural Notes for 酸
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese cuisine, sour flavors are essential, particularly in dishes from regions like Sichuan, where 酸 is often balanced with spicy elements. Additionally, the expression 酸葡萄 (suān pútáo, 'sour grapes') reflects a cultural understanding of jealousy or disappointment.
Word Family of 酸
Words Containing This Character20
酸suānsour
酸奶suānnǎiyogurt
硫酸sulfate
心酸xīnsuānto feel sad
盐酸hydrochloric acid HCl鹽酸
氨基酸amino acid
酸痛to ache
磷酸phosphoric acid
碳酸carbonic acid
脂肪酸fatty acid
酸性acidity
尖酸harsh
乳酸lactic acid
辛酸xīnsuānbitter
胃酸gastric acid
寒酸wretched
酸菜pickled vegetables, especially Chinese cabbage
硝酸nitric acid
丙烯酸acrylic acid C3H4O2
核酸nucleic acid
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 酸 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 酸
Some synonyms for 酸 (suān) include '酸涩' (suān sè), meaning 'astringent,' and '酸痛' (suān tòng), which means 'sore' or 'aching.' These words can help you express similar feelings or tastes in different contexts.
酸 (suān) specifically refers to the sour taste, unlike 甜 (tián) for sweet, 苦 (kǔ) for bitter, and 咸 (xián) for salty. Understanding these distinctions can enhance your vocabulary when discussing food and flavors in Chinese.
酸 (suān) primarily means 'sour' or 'tart' in Chinese. It can also describe a feeling of being 'sick at heart' or 'grieved.' In a physical context, it might refer to a feeling of soreness or aching in the body.
You can use 酸 (suān) to describe flavors, such as in '这个苹果很酸' (zhè ge píngguǒ hěn suān), meaning 'This apple is very sour.' Additionally, it can describe emotions, like saying '我感到很酸' (wǒ gǎndào hěn suān), which means 'I feel very grieved.'
You can say '这个柠檬很酸' (zhège níngméng hěn suān) meaning 'This lemon is very sour.'
No, 酸 can also describe emotions, such as feeling 'sour' about a situation, meaning to feel grief or disappointment.
The opposite of 酸 (sour) is 甜 (tián), which means 'sweet'.
