杜康 (Dùkāng) · Du Kang (legendary inventor of wine)

Meanings

1 Du Kang (legendary inventor of wine)
2 Dukang (wine brand)

About Du Kang

Legendary inventor of alcohol, placed in the Xia dynasty and honoured as the patron of winemakers. Cao Cao's line 唯有杜康, 'only Du Kang' eases sorrow, made his name a word for wine.

Characters

Examples

HSK 6

杜康酒产于河南。

Dùkāng jiǔ chǎn yú Hénán.

Dukang liquor is produced in Henan.

HSK 7-9

何以解忧？唯有杜康。

Héyǐ jiěyōu? Wéiyǒu Dùkāng.

What can dispel my sorrow? Only Dukang wine.

Tips

culture

On his 1972 visit to China, Japan's prime minister 田中角荣 asked to drink 杜康 wine, and 周恩来 sent people to Henan to trace where it had been made. Some old texts credit wine to 仪狄 instead.