酲

A phono-semantic compound consisting of:

酉 (wine/alcohol radical) — semantic component, indicating relation to alcohol;

呈 (chéng) — phonetic component, providing the sound.

The structure conveys a condition arising from alcohol, specifically the state that “presents itself” after drinking.

숙정 (宿酲) — hangover (literary or classical expression)

酲 is a low-frequency character, mostly found in classical texts.

The compound 宿酲 emphasizes “overnight hangover” (宿 = overnight).

Unlike 醉 (drunk), 酲 describes the aftermath, often associated with fatigue or heaviness.

The character reflects a nuanced distinction in classical Chinese between stages of intoxication.

Related characters:

酒 — alcohol

醉 — drunkenness

醒 — to sober up

酩 — intoxicated

Among these, 酲 specifically denotes the aftereffect, not the act of drinking or being drunk.