酒菜 (jiǔ cài) — food to go with liquor; dishes served with alco…

Definition

Literally 'liquor + dishes': food eaten alongside alcohol, usually savory snacks or cold dishes. In a broader sense it just means food and drink.

noun

food to go with liquordishes served with alcoholic drinks(in a broader sense) food and drink

Measure word · 道

酒菜，。
Tā diǎn le jǐ gè jiǔ cài, yì pán huā shēng mǐ hé yí fèn liáng bàn huáng guā.
He ordered some dishes to go with the liquor — a plate of peanuts and a portion of cucumber salad.
酒菜，。
Zhè jiā diàn de jiǔ cài zhǒng lèi hěn duō, shì hé péng you jù cān.
This restaurant has a wide variety of dishes to go with drinks, perfect for a gathering with friends.
酒菜，。
Tā men yì biān hē jiǔ yì biān chī jiǔ cài, liáo dé hěn kāi xīn.
They drank and ate the dishes together, chatting happily.

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.

酒 is wine and 菜 is dishes, so together they mean food and drink.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

酉

酉yǒu酒jiǔ

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

酒 pairs 酉, the original picture for this word, with 水 (water), added later to distinguish it.

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

艹采菜

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant

Sound part声符shēngfú

采

Same sound today

菜 has 艹 (grass/plants) on top and 采 below; the top part shows it is a plant, while 采 gives the sound.