How to Write 醇 (chún) — Meaning “mellow or pure”

Imagine a wine jar (酉) on the left, and on the right a person happily enjoying a drink (享 looks like a person with arms raised). When wine is so pure and smooth that it makes you smile, it's 醇 (mellow). This links the shape to the meaning of a pleasant, rich taste.

Pay attention to the left side 酉: its inner part should be narrow, with two horizontal strokes inside the box. The right side 享 has eight strokes: start with a dot on top, then a horizontal, then the 口 square, and finish with a 子 at the bottom. A common mistake is making the 口 too large or forgetting the top dot.

醇 focuses on wine that is pure and mellow (享 inside). 酩 (mǐng) contains 名 (name) and appears in the word 酩酊 meaning "dead drunk." 酪 (lào) has 各 (each) and means dairy products like cheese or yogurt. Visually, the right-side component is the key: 醇 uses 享, 酩 uses 名, and 酪 uses 各.

醇 commonly describes the rich, smooth quality of wine, tea, or flavors, as in 醇厚 (mellow and rich) and 醇香 (mellow aroma). It is also a scientific term for alcohol, especially in 乙醇 (ethanol). In Chinese culture, 醇 carries a positive connotation, often used to praise aged liquor or a person's pure character.

Common words containing 醇 include: 醇厚 (chún hòu) — mellow and rich; 醇香 (chún xiāng) — mellow aroma; 乙醇 (yǐ chún) — ethanol.