醋
cù
vinegar
jealousy (in love rivalry)
wine jar (酉) + the past (昔) = vinegar aged with time
Vinegar is essentially wine (酉) left to ferment over time (昔, meaning 'the past'). The jealousy sense comes from the bitter, sour feeling of watching a rival win someone's affection — a very old metaphor in Chinese.
这道菜放了太多醋，太酸了。
zhè dào cài fàng le tài duō cù, tài suān le。
This dish has too much vinegar added, it's too sour.
他看到女朋友和别人说话就吃醋。
tā kàn dào nǚ péng yǒu hé bié rén shuō huà jiù chī cù。
He gets jealous whenever he sees his girlfriend talking to someone else.
Words with 醋
醋劲
cù jìn
jealousy (in love)
醋劲儿
cù jìn r
erhua variant of 醋勁|醋劲[cu4 jin4]
醋意
cù yì
jealousy (in love rivalry)
醋栗
cù lì
gooseberry
醋海生波
cù hǎi shēng bō
lit. waves on a sea of vinegar
醋磺内酯钾
cù huáng nèi zhǐ jiǎ
acesulfame potassium; acesulfame K (an artificial sweetener)
醋坛子
cù tán zi
vinegar jar
醋酸
cù suān
acetic acid (CH3COOH)
醋酸乙酯
cù suān yǐ zhǐ
ethyl acetate
醋酸纤维
cù suān xiān wéi
cellulose acetate (used for film and fiber)
陈醋
chén cù
mature vinegar
食醋
shí cù
table vinegar