醩 (zāo) - Dregs, sediment, lees & specifically refers to the dregs left after brewing

醩Tone 1

zāo ｜ 18 strokes ｜ radical:

悦丈

醩 · zāo

Dregs, sediment, lees;

specifically refers to the dregs left after brewing wine or fermenting other substances;

also used metaphorically for worthless remnants.

Dregs, sediment, leesspecifically refers to the dregs left after brewingalso used metaphorically for worthless remnants.

Usage highlights

Wine dregsDistillers' grainsSoy sauce residueBean dregsGrain dregsBrewing residue

Synonyms

  • 渣— dregs, residue
  • 粕— dregs, lees
  • 糟— dregs, sediment (variant form)

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The wine dregs (酒醩) were used to make vinegar.
  • They fed the livestock with distillers' grains (酒精醩).
  • The soy sauce residue (酱油醩) can be used as fertilizer.
  • He felt like the dregs of society (社会醩粕).

Collocations

  • Wine dregs(酒醩)
  • Distillers' grains(酒精醩)
  • Soy sauce residue(酱油醩)
  • Bean dregs(豆醩)
  • Grain dregs(粮醩)
  • Brewing residue(酿造醩)

Idioms

  • Dregs and dross(醩粕)
  • Pickled in wine dregs(醩腌)
  • Dregs of society(社会醩粕)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically associated with traditional brewing and fermentation processes in Chinese cuisine.
  • Often carries negative connotations when used metaphorically, suggesting worthlessness or waste.
  • In traditional Chinese medicine, some dregs were used for medicinal purposes.

FAQ