shochu en · NOUN
Etymology
From Japanese 焼(しょう)酎(ちゅう) (shōchū), from Middle Chinese 燒酒 (syew tsjuw^X), from 燒 /烧 (shāo, “burn; flammable”) + 酒 (jiǔ, “alcohol”). Compare Mandarin 烧酒 (shāojiǔ), and Korean 소주 (soju). Doublet of shaojiu and soju.
Meanings
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(uncountable, usually) A Japanese alcoholic beverage, most commonly distilled from barley, sweet potato or rice. Typically it is 25% alcohol by volume, making it weaker than whisky, but stronger than wine and sake.
Lightly flavored shochus, like the barley-based Iichiko, are good mixed with soda water made on the premises with fresh lemon or in a cocktail like the Natsushima […]
2022, Steve Reddicliffe, The New York Times Essential Book of Cocktails (Second Edition) (page 582)
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| shochus | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| shōchū | alternative | lexicographic |