酸
acid, bitterness, sour, tart
Readings
On'yomi
- サン
Kun'yomi
- す.い
Meaning
酸 centers on a sharp, biting taste: sourness, tartness, or the chemical sense of acid. Bitterness is a related harsh flavor, though not identical.
Most common words using 酸
20 of 803- 酸さんN1
acid
- 酸素さんそN3
oxygen (O)
- 酸化さんかN1
oxidation; oxidization
- 炭酸たんさんN1
carbonic acid
- 二酸化炭素にさんかたんそN2
carbon dioxide; CO2
- アミノ酸アミノさん
amino acid
- 乳酸菌にゅうさんきん
lactic-acid bacilli
- 酸味さんみ
sourness; acidity
- 脂肪酸しぼうさん
fatty acid
- 硫酸りゅうさん
sulfuric acid; sulphuric acid
- 酸性さんせいN2
acidity
- 酸っぱいすっぱいN3
sour; acid
- 酢酸さくさん
acetic acid
- 甘酸っぱいあまずっぱいN1
sweet and sour
- 塩酸えんさん
hydrochloric acid
- 水酸化すいさんか
hydration
- 乳酸にゅうさん
lactic acid
- グルタミン酸グルタミンさん
glutamic acid
- 核酸かくさん
nucleic acid
- 一酸化いっさんか
monoxide
Study
Etymology
酸 combines 酉 (a wine jar, suggesting fermentation) with 夋, which likely contributes the sound. The idea is the sour taste of fermented liquid.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 酉 is a wine jar, and the right side 夋 looks like a person puckering from a sour taste. Imagine tasting fermented wine and making a sour face.
Reading mnemonic
For サン, picture the sun (サン) beating down on a wine jar, turning the wine sour and acidic.