酝酿

醞釀

yùnniàng

verb HSK 7-9 #13,768

Meanings

1 to brew
2 to ferment
3 to develop gradually
4 to be in the making

Characters

to brew; to ferment

to brew; to make wine

Examples

一场暴风雨正在酝酿之中。

Yì chǎng bàofēngyǔ zhèngzài yùnniàng zhīzhōng.

A storm is brewing.

这个计划酝酿了很长时间。

Zhège jìhuà yùnniàng le hěn cháng shíjiān.

This plan has been in the making for a long time.

Tips

memory

Both characters 酝 and 酿 relate to wine-making (note the 酉 radical meaning 'wine vessel'). Brewing wine takes time, just like ideas brewing gradually.

Stroke Order

酝 yùn

酿 niàng