Shaoxing Wine
/ʃaʊˈʃɪŋ waɪn/noun
A Chinese fermented rice wine traditionally produced in Shaoxing, Zhejiang, and commonly used for drinking and cooking.
Did you know?Shaoxing wine belongs to huangjiu, or “yellow wine,” a traditional Chinese category fermented from grain rather than distilled like spirits.
Etymological Timeline
Neolithic China
Old Chinese
酒 (*t͡səʔ)
“Fermented alcoholic drink; the ancient Chinese word for wine or liquor.”
Bronze Age China
Chinese
酒
“The character for alcoholic drink, written with the liquid radical and associated with ritual beverages.”
12th Century
Chinese
紹興 (Shaoxing)
“A place-name meaning approximately “continuing prosperity” or “inheriting prosperity,” adopted from the reign title of Emperor Gaozong of Song.”
Ming–Qing Periods
Chinese
紹興酒
““Shaoxing wine,” referring to fermented rice wine associated with the Shaoxing region.”
19th–20th Century
English
Shaoxing wine
“An English rendering of the Chinese regional name plus the general word “wine,” used in descriptions of Chinese cuisine.”
Modern English
English
Shaoxing wine
“A regional Chinese rice wine, often aged and used as a cooking ingredient or beverage.”
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