漚 (ōu) - To soak, steep, or macerate & to ferment

漚Tone 1

ōu ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

柠七

漚 · ōu

To soak, steep, or macerate;

to ferment;

bubbles, foam;

also refers to something that has been soaked for a long time.

To soak, steep, or macerateto fermentbubbles, foam

Usage highlights

Soak fertilizerRet hempSoak beansWater bubblesSoak in waterSoak till soft

Synonyms

  • 泡— to soak, bubble
  • 浸— to immerse, soak
  • 沤— simplified form of 漚

Antonyms

  • 乾— dry (opposite of soaking)
  • 曬— to sun-dry

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Soak the beans before cooking (漚豆子).
  • Retting flax in water (漚麻).
  • Soaking fertilizer in water (漚肥).
  • Bubbles forming on water surface (浮漚).

Collocations

  • Soak fertilizer(漚肥)
  • Ret hemp(漚麻)
  • Soak beans(漚豆子)
  • Water bubbles(浮漚)
  • Soak in water(水漚)
  • Soak till soft(漚爛)

Idioms

  • Floating bubbles, fleeting illusions(浮漚幻影)
  • Like foam on water, here and gone(似水浮漚)
  • Soaked through and through(漚心瀝血)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Traditionally used in agricultural contexts for processes like retting flax or fermenting organic fertilizer.
  • In Buddhist texts, often used metaphorically for the transient nature of existence, like bubbles on water.
  • The character combines water (氵) with region/area (區), suggesting water contained in a limited space for soaking.

FAQ