How to Write 酕 (máo) — Meaning “very drunk”

Picture a person whose hair (毛) is completely soaked in a wine jar (酉) — that person is so messy and drunk that they are "very drunk." This image connects the two components to the meaning of extreme intoxication.

Start with the left radical 酉, making sure the horizontal strokes are even. For the right side 毛, write the first stroke as a straight horizontal, then a second horizontal, and finish with a vertical hook — keep the hook short and not too curved. A common mistake is making the 毛 part too wide; balance it with the left side.

酕 (máo) uses 毛 on the right and means "very drunk." 酊 (dǐng) uses 丁 onthe right and appears in the word 酩酊 (mǐng dǐng) for "dead drunk" but is not used alone. 酋 (qiú) has a different shape on top and means "chief" or "tribal leader" — it is unrelated to drunkenness.

酕 is rarely used alone in daily speech; it mainly appears in literary or classical expressions like 酕醄大醉 (máo táo dà zuì), which means "to be dead drunk." In ancient Chinese culture, such vivid characters were used to describe the dramatic effects of alcohol in poetry and stories.

Common words containing 酕 include: 酕醄 (máo táo) — dead drunk / extremely intoxicated; 酕醄大醉 (máo táo dà zuì) — to be dead drunk; 醉酕 (zuì máo) — dead drunk.