酥

• Pinyin: sū
• Hanzi breakdown: 酥 = 禾 (grain/food radical) + 酉 (vessel for fermented substances) — originally a dairy product; now describes flaky/crispy food textures

Meaning

Crispy, flaky, or crumbly in texture (of food). Also describes a soft, weak, or pleasantly numbed sensation in the body — often from overwhelming pleasure, fatigue, or certain physical stimuli.

In culinary contexts, 酥 is a highly positive descriptor for pastries, fried foods, and baked goods, indicating a light, brittle texture that breaks apart easily. In describing bodily sensations, it conveys a pleasurable or overwhelmed softness — limbs feeling weak or tingly from music, massage, or emotion. Used in everyday speech and food writing alike.

Examples

1. 这家点心铺的蛋黄酥外皮酥脆而不油腻，内馅绵软细腻，一口咬下去层次分明，令人回味无穷。 The salted egg yolk pastry from this shop has a crust that’s crisp but not greasy, with a soft, delicate filling; one bite reveals distinct layers that leave you wanting more.
2. 厨师将鸭皮烤制得极为酥脆，连同其下方饱含鸭油的嫩肉一同上桌，呈现出令人心满意足的丰富口感。 The chef roasted the duck skin until it was exceptionally crisp and served it together with the tender meat underneath, rich with duck fat, creating a deeply satisfying range of textures.
3. 听到那段旋律，她只觉得全身酸酥，仿佛积压已久的所有紧绷都在那一刻悄然消散，内心无比舒适。 Hearing that melody, she felt a tingling, achy softness wash over her body, as if all the tension she’d held for so long quietly dissolved in that moment, leaving her utterly at ease.

Usage Guide

Context: food, culinary, sensory description, everyday

Tone: pleasant

Do Say

• 新鲜出炉的牛角包外皮酥脆，内里柔软香甜，搭配一杯热咖啡，构成了一个令人倍感惬意的悠闲早晨。(A freshly baked croissant — crispy on the outside, soft and sweet within — paired with a hot coffee, made for a wonderfully leisurely morning.)
• 这道炸排骨火候掌握得极好，每一块都酥而不焦，外皮稳稳锁住了内部的肉汁，鲜香滋味令人难以忘怀。(The fried pork ribs were cooked to perfection — crispy but not burnt, with the outer crust sealing in all the juices, delivering a flavour that was hard to forget.)

Don't Say

• 酥 专指酥脆或酥松的口感，不适用于软糯类食物 — 不说'这块年糕很酥'；年糕的口感是黏糯的，应用 软糯 或 Q弹

Origin & History

酥 = 禾 (grain) + 酉 (fermentation vessel) — originally referring to dairy-based foods; extended to describe light, crumbly, or crispy textures

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal