TSUMUGU · TOCFL 6 (est.) · 字
酌
酌 ＝ 酉 ＋ 勺
ㄓㄨㄛˊ · zhuó
verb — to pour and drink wine; to weigh up, consider
字源 FORM — what the parts do
酉義a wine jar
勺聲sháo — a ladle; gives the sound and the dipping it doesdual-role: 勺 is the ladle that does the pouring, and the sound donor
{zh,ch,sh}IFsháo → zhuó — the sibilant shifts and the final rounds
A ladle (勺) dips into the wine jar (酉) and pours a cup — to drink, to pour for a guest. 勺 carries both the sound and the dipping itself. Because pouring the right amount takes judgement, 酌 also means to weigh up: 斟酌, 酌情, weighing a measure before you commit it.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
拿勺（勺）往酒罈（酉）裡一舀，斟滿兩杯——自酌。
A ladle (勺) dips into the wine jar (酉), filling two cups — pouring one's own — 酌.
字源
意 · Meanings
(本義)斟酌、自酌— to pour and drink wine常用
→斟酌、酌情、酌量— to weigh up, consider — pour the right measure常用
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension
關 · Related
勺sháothe dual-role piece — sound, and the ladle doing the pouring斟zhēnits partner in 斟酌 — the careful pour