The kanji 酉 primarily represents a container used for alcoholic beverages, or more specifically, a wine jar or a container for fermenting or storing sake. It's also strongly associated with the concept of the rooster or the tenth sign of the Chinese zodiac, but the original meaning centers on a vessel.

・On-yomi (音読み): ユウ (yuu) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): とり (tori) - rooster, fowl, the tenth sign of the Chinese zodiac.

⚫︎酉年 Translation: The Year of the Rooster. ⚫︎酉の刻 Translation: The Hour of the Rooster (corresponds to 5-7 PM). ⚫︎清酒 Translation: せいしゅ (seishu) - refined sake (although the 酉 itself doesn't mean sake, it is often associated with the process of making alcohol)

The kanji 酉 is a pictograph. It depicts a wine jar or container, and its shape visually represents the vessel’s form. Over time, the form became simplified but the original intent to represent a container remains. The connection to the rooster and the zodiac sign likely arose from the association of the container with the time of day, as it started during the year of the rooster, which is often when people drank alcoholic beverages.