釀 (niàng) - To brew, ferment & to make (wine, vinegar, soy sauce)

釀Tone 4

niàng ｜ 24 strokes ｜ radical:

念柠

釀 · niàng

To brew, ferment;

to make (wine, vinegar, soy sauce);

to lead to, result in (a situation);

to concoct, plot.

To brew, fermentto make (wine, vinegar, soy sauce)to lead to, result in (a situation)

Usage highlights

Brew wineMake soy sauceFermentBrewing industryConcoct a plotLead to disaster

Synonyms

  • 酿造— to brew, ferment
  • 酝— to brew, ferment (literary)

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • They brew beer at the factory (酿造啤酒).
  • The grapes are fermented into wine (酿成葡萄酒).
  • This situation could lead to trouble (酝酿麻烦).
  • She is making soy sauce (酿酱油).

Collocations

  • Brew wine(酿酒)
  • Make soy sauce(酿酱油)
  • Ferment(酿造)
  • Brewing industry(酿造业)
  • Concoct a plot(酿成阴谋)
  • Lead to disaster(酿成大祸)

Idioms

  • Brewing a disaster(酿成大祸)
  • Fermenting a scheme(酝酿阴谋)
  • Accumulating over time to form a major event(酝酸成酿)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Deeply connected to ancient Chinese food culture, especially in the production of alcoholic beverages like rice wine.
  • The character reflects traditional fermentation techniques that are central to Chinese cuisine (e.g., soy sauce, vinegar).
  • Used metaphorically to describe the gradual development of situations, often negative ones.

FAQ