斟 (zhēn): to pour (tea or wine into a cup)

Meanings

1 to pour (tea or wine into a cup)
2 to fill (a cup or glass)

Characters

斟

zhēn

to pour (liquid into a vessel)

Examples

HSK 2

他为大家斟满了酒。

Tā wèi dàjiā zhēn mǎn le jiǔ.

He filled everyone's glasses with wine.

HSK 3

主人亲自为客人斟茶。

Zhǔrén qīnzì wèi kèrén zhēn chá.

The host personally poured tea for the guests.

Tips

culture

斟茶 (pouring tea) is a significant act in Chinese tea culture. Guests traditionally tap two fingers on the table to express thanks when tea is poured - a gesture said to originate from imperial court ritual.

Components

radical

斗 dǒu

ladle; dipper

Right 斗 - pictograph of a long-handled ladle or measuring scoop. As the indexing radical it carries the meaning: pouring tea or wine is dipping with a ladle and tipping into a cup. Same radical drives 料 to measure out; 斗 itself names the 北斗 Big Dipper constellation.

phonetic

甚 shèn

very; what

Left 甚 supplies the sound - shèn drifting to zhēn through the regular sh/zh alternation in older Mandarin. Originally it depicted a vessel of food and a partner, hinting at extreme indulgence. Same phonetic appears in 勘 to investigate, 堪 to bear, 湛 deep.