油盐酱醋 (yóu yán jiàng cù) — the four basic cooking condiments (oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar); (metaphorical) the daily necessities of life; the mundane essentials of everyday living

Definition

Literally the four basic cooking condiments (oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar), but used figuratively for the mundane essentials of daily life. Often paired with 柴米 in the idiom 柴米油盐.

noun
the four basic cooking condiments (oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar)(metaphorical) the daily necessities of lifethe mundane essentials of everyday living

Examples

  • 油盐酱醋。
    Jiā lǐ yóu yán jiàng cù zhè xiē jī běn tiáo liào dōu bèi qí le.
    All the basic condiments — oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar — are ready at home.
  • 油盐酱醋。
    Guò rì zi lí bù kāi yóu yán jiàng cù zhè xiē chái mǐ yóu yán.
    Daily life can't do without these everyday necessities like oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar.
  • 油盐酱醋。
    Tā xiě de wén zhāng chōng mǎn le yóu yán jiàng cù de yān huǒ qì.
    His writing is full of the earthy flavor of daily life.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

油盐oil and salt
油yóuoil盐yánsalt
联合Side by side
酱醋sauce and vinegar
酱jiàngsauce醋cùvinegar
联合Side by side

油, 盐, 酱, and 醋 are four condiments listed together, naming everyday cooking essentials.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
由
由yóu油yóu
Same sound today

油 is built from 氵, a water part, and 由, which supplies the sound.

Open 油 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 鹽; 盐 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
鹵鹵lǔsalt
Sound part声符shēngfú
監
監jiān鹽yán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 鹽 uses 鹵 to show salt and 監 for the sound; the simplified 盐 is a later shorthand.

Open 盐 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 醬; 酱 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
酉酉yǒudrink
Sound part声符shēngfú
將
將jiāng醬jiàng
Same sound today

The traditional form 醬 pairs 將, which suggests the sound, with 酉, a drink; the simplified 酱 is a later abbreviation.

Open 酱 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
酉酉yǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
昔
昔xī醋cù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

醋 is formed by placing 酉 beside 昔; 昔 supplies the sound, and 酉 marks the meaning.

Open 醋 →

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