酢 means “vinegar”

す · su

Also: sour, acid, tart

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

す

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

サク

Taught in secondary school · 12 strokes

The story

Sour and sharp: vinegar cuts through richness, balances sweet, awakens the palate.

Essential in sushi rice and Japanese dressings

Its parts

• 酉 Wine jar · Left side
• 乍 Suddenly · Right side

What wine (酉) suddenly (乍) becomes: vinegar

Kanji that look like 酢

• 酒 (alcohol / sake): 酒 is simpler on the right side; both start with the alcohol jar 酉

More from Food & Dining

• 酒 alcohol
• 辛 spicy
• 料 cooking
• 米 rice
• 食 eat
• 魚 fish
• 肉 meat
• 汁 soup
• 塩 salt
• 甘 sweet
• 苦 bitter
• 飲 drink

Learn 酢 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.