KanjiJLPT N1
Brew

brew, cause

Mnemonic

A bottle of wine sits empty on the shelf. A lady refuses to buy more — she'd rather brew her own. She gathers rice, water, and koji, letting fermentation work its slow magic. Weeks later, the lady pours homemade sake so exquisite it puts any bottle of wine to shame.
Additional thoughts
Picture the lady proudly holding up her handcrafted sake beside the empty store-bought bottle — her patience in brewing paid off. The transformation from simple rice to refined drink mirrors the kanji's sense of fostering something over time.
Quick recall
A bottle of wine runs dry, so a lady decides to brew her own superior sake.

Details

The keyword for 醸 is brew. This kanji refers to the process of brewing or fermenting, particularly in the context of making alcoholic beverages such as sake, beer, or wine. It encompasses the idea of allowing ingredients to transform through fermentation over time. By extension, it can also be used figuratively to mean creating or fostering a certain atmosphere, situation, or sentiment, as in "brewing" trouble or cultivating a particular mood.
On'yomi
じょう
Kun'yomi
かも.す