酌

pour wine, consider

酌 is composed of 酉 (wine/liquor) and 勺 (sháo). 酉 represents wine, while 勺 refers to a scooping ladle. Thus, 酌 conveys the concept of scooping wine, which naturally extended to mean drinking wine. According to ancient etiquette, pouring wine required focus and care to ensure the exact right portion; hence, 酌 also came to mean considering or deliberating.

Vocabulary of 酌

  • 酌情 (use discretion)
  • 斟酌 (consider)
  • 獨酌 (drink alone)

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