酵 jiào yeast
yeast; to leaven
How to remember 酵: 酉 wine + 孝 filial piety = yeast. The son brews beer in his father's old wine jar out of filial piety, and proudly shows him the bubbles from the yeast.
Component breakdown
形声 · Meaning + sound
One part gives the meaning, the other gives the sound.
酵 = 酉 wine + 孝 filial piety
- 酉 wine meaning
- 孝 filial piety sound
The son brews beer in his father's old wine jar out of filial piety, and proudly shows him the bubbles from the yeast.
How it came to be
Wine gives the meaning and the right part the sound: fermenting in a vessel.
How it is used
- Bound to fermentation/leavening: 发酵 (fājiào) to ferment, of dough, yogurt, beer; 面团发酵了 (miàntuán fājiào le) the dough has risen.
- Figuratively 发酵 describes a scandal or rumor spreading and intensifying: 事件在网上持续发酵 (shìjiàn zài wǎngshàng chíxù fājiào) the incident kept snowballing online.
- Also 酵母 (jiàomǔ) yeast; note the reading jiào, not xiào.