How to Write 酿 (niàng) — Meaning “to brew”

Q: What is a good memory trick to remember the character 酿?

Picture a wine jar (酉) filled with high-quality liquid, represented by 良 meaning 'good'. So 酿 is the process of creating that good brew in a jar.

Q: Are there any special stroke order tips or common mistakes when writing 酿?

Write the left radical 酉 first (7 strokes), then the right part 良 (7 strokes). A common mistake is forgetting the dot on top of 良, so be sure to add that dot before the horizontal lines.

Q: How can I tell 酿 apart from similar characters like 酡 and 酢?

酿 (niàng) means 'to brew', 酡 (tuó) means 'flushed from alcohol', and 酢 (cù) means 'vinegar'. Visually, 酿 has 良 inside, 酡 has 它, and 酢 has 乍 – each right part gives a different meaning.

Q: In modern Chinese, when and how is 酿 used, and are there any cultural notes?

酿 is common in words like 酿酒 (to brew wine) and 酿造 (to ferment). It also appears in 酝酿 (to deliberate or prepare), which metaphorically describes a gradual process, like brewing ideas.

Q: What common words use 酿?

Common words containing 酿 include: 酿酒 (niàng jiǔ) — to brew wine; 酿造 (niàng zào) — to brew or ferment; 酝酿 (yùn niàng) — to brew / to deliberate / to prepare for.

niàng HSK Level 7 14 strokes Radical: 酉

酿 (niàng) means "to brew" in Chinese. It has 14 strokes with the radical 酉, and is HSK Level 7.

Rated 4.2/5 in difficulty (advanced).

Harder than 94% of HSK Level 7 characters.

Appears in 3+ common words including 酿酒 (niàng jiǔ), 酿造 (niàng zào), 酝酿 (yùn niàng).

Due to its 14 strokes, Hanzi Writer's error detection shows 酿 requires focused practice — most learners need 10+ attempts for consistent accuracy.

Practice Writing 酿 (niàng)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 酿 with real-time feedback.

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How to Write 酿

The character 酿 (niàng) is written with 14 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 酉 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

What Does niàng (酿) Mean in Chinese?

酿 means to brew.

As an HSK Level 7 character, 酿 is an intermediate-level character.

Character Data

Character	酿
Pinyin	niàng (niang)
Meaning	to brew
Strokes	14
Radical	酉
HSK Level	7
Difficulty	4.2/5

Origin of 酿

The character 酿 combines the radical 酉 (an ancient wine vessel or fermented liquor) with the component 襄 (xiāng, meaning 'to assist' or 'to raise' and serving as a phonetic hint). Together, they depict the process of assisting fermentation inside a vat, hence 'to brew'. The left side 酉 directly ties to alcohol, while the right side 襄 contributes both sound and a sense of active preparation.

💡 Memory Tip: Imagine a brewer (襄) carefully stirring a giant wooden wine barrel (酉) to make the perfect brew.

Common Words with 酿

酿酒 niàng jiǔ

to brew wine

酿造 niàng zào

to brew or ferment

酝酿 yùn niàng

to brew / to deliberate / to prepare for

Example Sentences

爷爷会酿酒。

yé yé huì niàng jiǔ

Grandpa knows how to brew wine.

酱油是酿造的。

jiàng yóu shì niàng zào de

Soy sauce is brewed.

计划正在酝酿中。

jì huà zhèng zài yùn niàng zhōng

The plan is in the works.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
酿 (current)	niàng	14	酉
酡	tuó	12	酉
酢	cù	12	酉
酣	hān	12	酉

Practice Writing 酿 (niàng)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 酿 with real-time feedback.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 酿

What are the components of 酿 and how do they relate to its meaning?

酿 is made of the radical 酉 (wine jar) on the left, which represents alcohol or fermentation, and 良 (good) on the right. Together, they suggest 'making good wine' through brewing or fermenting.

What is a good memory trick to remember the character 酿?

Are there any special stroke order tips or common mistakes when writing 酿?

How can I tell 酿 apart from similar characters like 酡 and 酢?

In modern Chinese, when and how is 酿 used, and are there any cultural notes?

What common words use 酿?

How to Write 酿 (niàng) — Meaning “to brew”

Practice Writing 酿 (niàng)

How to Write 酿

What Does niàng (酿) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 酿

Common Words with 酿

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 酿 (niàng)

Frequently Asked Questions about 酿

More HSK Level 7 Characters

Characters with Radical 酉

Other 14-Stroke Characters