vinegar

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: The on reading is さく, and the kun reading is す. It has 12 strokes. It appears in words for vinegar and foods seasoned with it.
• Basic usage: 酢 is read す, and 酢飯 is read すめし.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 酢 / 酢飯
  • 酢 means vinegar and is read す. It refers to vinegar used to add acidity to food.
  • 酢と醤油を混ぜて、餃子のたれを作った。 means “I mixed vinegar and soy sauce for the dumpling dipping sauce.”
  • 酢飯 means sushi rice or vinegared rice and is read すめし. It refers to rice mixed with vinegar for sushi.
  • 炊いた米に酢を混ぜて酢飯を作った。 means “I mixed vinegar into cooked rice to make sushi rice.”