斟 meaning and stroke order
To deliberate, to gauge; to pour wine or tea
How to write 斟, stroke by stroke
13 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 斟
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to pour
- to deliberate
How 斟 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Measuring cup.
斗 gives the meaning and 甚 hints at the sound.
Radical: 斗 (to struggle), shared by 6 characters on this site.
How to remember 斟
斟 combines 甚 (shèn), which hints at the sound, with 斗 (dǒu), a measuring cup or ladle. Picture ladling wine out with a cup and measuring each pour carefully. That covers both meanings: pouring, and weighing things up.
In everyday speech 斟 appears mostly in set words. 斟茶 (zhēn chá) and 斟酒 (zhēn jiǔ) mean to pour tea or wine for someone, and 斟酌 (zhēnzhuó) means to consider carefully. Example: 这件事你再斟酌一下。(Zhè jiàn shì nǐ zài zhēnzhuó yíxià.) Think this matter over a bit more.
Common mistake: Learners often read 斟 as shèn because of the 甚 part, but it is pronounced zhēn, with the first tone. Also keep 斗 on the right side and do not confuse it with 料 (liào), which has 米 on the left.
斟 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 斟
How many strokes are in 斟?
斟 is written with 13 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 斟 mean?
斟 (zhēn) means to deliberate, to gauge; to pour wine or tea.
How do you pronounce 斟?
斟 is pronounced zhēn, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 斟?
The radical of 斟 is 斗, which carries the idea of "to struggle". Dictionaries list 斟 under this radical.
What is the difference between 斟 and 倒 for pouring?
倒 (dào) is the common everyday verb for pouring anything, such as water or trash. 斟 is more formal or literary and is used almost only for pouring tea or wine into a cup, often politely for a guest.
How is 斟酌 used in sentences?
斟酌 (zhēnzhuó) is a verb meaning to weigh carefully, often for wording or decisions. For example, 斟酌用词 (zhēnzhuó yòngcí) means to choose one's words carefully.