How to Write 酥 (sū) — Meaning “flaky or crispy”

Q: What is a good memory trick to remember how to write 酥?

Imagine a wine jar (酉) filled with grain (禾) that has been fried until it becomes crispy and golden. The image of a jar full of crunchy grain helps link the shape to the meaning "flaky or crispy."

Q: How is 酥 different from the similar characters 酌 and 配?

All three share the left radical 酉, but the right sides differ: 酥 has 禾 (grain) and means crispy food, 酌 has 勺 (spoon) and means to pour wine, and 配 has 己 (self) and means to match or pair. Visually, the right parts are distinct, and their meanings are unrelated to each other.

Q: In what contexts is 酥 used in modern Chinese?

酥 commonly appears in food words like 酥油 (butter or ghee), 酥脆 (crispy and crunchy), and 桃酥 (a type of shortbread cookie). It is especially used to describe baked or fried foods with a light, flaky texture, and 酥油茶 is a well-known drink in Tibetan cuisine.

Q: What common words use 酥?

Common words containing 酥 include: 酥油 (sū yóu) — butter or ghee; 酥脆 (sū cuì) — crispy and crunchy; 桃酥 (táo sū) — walnut cake; peach shortbread.

sū HSK Level 7 12 strokes Radical: 酉

酥 (sū) means "flaky or crispy" in Chinese. It has 12 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 酥油 (sū yóu), 酥脆 (sū cuì), 桃酥 (táo sū).

Due to its 12 strokes, Hanzi Writer's error detection shows 酥 requires focused practice — most learners need 10+ attempts for consistent accuracy.

Practice Writing 酥 (sū)

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How to Write 酥

The character 酥 (sū) is written with 12 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 sū (酥) Mean in Chinese?

酥 means flaky or crispy.

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

Character Data

Character	酥
Pinyin	sū (su)
Meaning	flaky or crispy
Strokes	12
Radical	酉
HSK Level	7
Difficulty	4.2/5

Origin of 酥

酥 combines 酉 (fermentation vessel) with 禾 (grain) and 夊 (footsteps), suggesting a slow process of fermenting grains to produce a flaky, buttery substance. Originally meaning 'butter' or 'cream', it later extended to describe the crispy, flaky texture of baked goods.

💡 Memory Tip: Picture a wine jar (酉) next to grain (禾) walking away on tiny legs (夊), leaving a trail of crispy flakes.

Common Words with 酥

酥油 sū yóu

butter or ghee

酥脆 sū cuì

crispy and crunchy

桃酥 táo sū

walnut cake; peach shortbread

Example Sentences

酥油茶很好喝。

sū yóu chá hěn hǎo hē

Butter tea is very delicious.

这个饼干很酥脆。

zhè ge bǐng gān hěn sū cuì

This biscuit is very crispy.

我喜欢吃桃酥。

wǒ xǐ huān chī táo sū

I like eating walnut cookies.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
酥 (current)	sū	12	酉
酌	zhuó	10	酉
配	pèi	10	酉
酎	zhòu	10	酉

Practice Writing 酥 (sū)

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

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Frequently Asked Questions about 酥

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

酥 is composed of 酉 (wine jar radical) on the left and 禾 (grain) on the right. The 酉 component hints at fermentation or food preparation, while 禾 represents grain, together suggesting foods made from grain that are crispy or flaky.

What is a good memory trick to remember how to write 酥?

What are important writing tips for 酥?

How is 酥 different from the similar characters 酌 and 配?

In what contexts is 酥 used in modern Chinese?

What common words use 酥?

How to Write 酥 (sū) — Meaning “flaky or crispy”

Practice Writing 酥 (sū)

How to Write 酥

What Does sū (酥) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 酥

Common Words with 酥

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 酥 (sū)

Frequently Asked Questions about 酥

More HSK Level 7 Characters

Characters with Radical 酉

Other 12-Stroke Characters