How to Write 咂 (zā) — Meaning “to smack one's lips; to sip”

Imagine someone takes a small sip (咂一口) of hot tea and smacks their lips. The left side is a mouth (口), and the right side 匝 looks like a cup with a lid, reminding you of sipping and savoring the taste.

The left radical 口 should be small and positioned high, not too wide. The right part 匝 has 5 strokes: first a horizontal line, then an enclosing box with a vertical stroke inside; the final horizontal stroke should close the bottom neatly.

咂 (zā) means to smack lips or sip, while 吁 (xū or yù) means to sigh or exclaim, and 吂 (máng) is rarely used, meaning mute or silent. Visually, 咂 has a right component 匝 (enclosure), 吁 has 于 (a simple cross), and 吂 has 亡 (a hanging stroke).

咂 appears in words like 咂嘴 (smack one's lips) to show enjoyment or satisfaction, and 咂摸 (savor/ponder) for carefully thinking about something. It is also used in 咂一口 (take a sip) when describing tasting wine or tea, often in casual or literary contexts.

Common words containing 咂 include: 咂嘴 (zā zuǐ) — to smack one's lips; 咂摸 (zā mō) — to savor; to ponder; 咂一口 (zā yī kǒu) — to take a sip; to taste.