饮

2 readings · tap one to hear it

to drink

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

Phono-semantic compound (形声字)

饣 meaning “food” + 欠 sound ( qiàn )

Components 饣欠

beverage · Heisig RSH #2520

食 food + yawn

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

The most common words first — learning a character in context makes it stick.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
如人饮水，冷暖自知	rú rén yǐn shuǐ , lěng nuǎn zì zhī	the person who drinks it knows best whether the water is hot or cold (Zen proverb); self-a…
饮水机	yǐn shuǐ jī	water dispenser; water cooler; drinking fountain
饮酒作乐	yǐn jiǔ zuò lè	drinking party; to go on a binge; to paint the town red
饮水器	yǐn shuǐ qì	water dispenser
饮用水	yǐn yòng shuǐ	drinking water; potable water
酒水饮料	jiǔ shuǐ yǐn liào	drink (on a menu)
饮水思源	yǐn shuǐ sī yuán	lit. when you drink water, think of its source (idiom); gratitude for blessings and their …
直饮水	zhí yǐn shuǐ	water that is safe to drink directly
一饮而尽	yī yǐn ér jìn	to drain the cup in one gulp (idiom)
能量饮料	néng liàng yǐn liào	energy drink
酒精饮料	jiǔ jīng yǐn liào	alcoholic beverage
纸包饮品	zhǐ bāo yǐn pǐn	juice box; drink in a carton; Tetra Pak drink
饮水	yǐn shuǐ	to drink water; drinking water
饮水	yìn shuǐ	to give water (to animals)
功能饮料	gōng néng yǐn liào	functional beverage
百胜餐饮集团	Bǎi shèng Cān yǐn Jí tuán	Yum! Brands, Inc., American fast food corporation operating Pizza Hut, KFC etc.
饮流怀源	yǐn liú huái yuán	lit. when you drink water, think of its source (idiom); gratitude for blessings and their …
饮酒驾车	yǐn jiǔ jià chē	drink and drive (moderately high blood alcohol concentration)
饮用	yǐn yòng	drink; drinking or drinkable (water)
热饮	rè yǐn	hot drink

Characters sharing the sound component 欠 — compare how they read.

Character	Pinyin	Meaning
欠 sound part	qiàn	to lack, to owe; to breathe, to yawn
软	ruǎn	soft, pliable, flexible; weak
吹	chuī	to blow, to puff; to brag, to boast
坎	kǎn	pit, hole; to trap, to snare; crisis
钦	qīn	to respect, to admire; royal
砍	kǎn	to hack, to chop, to cut, to fell
炊	chuī	meal; to cook, to steam
嵌	qiàn	valley, ravine; to fall into; to inlay, to set in
芡	qiàn	Gorgon plant, fox nut
欿	kǎn	sad, gloomy, discontent
肷	qiǎn	the area between the waist and hips