Definitions

liū quick-fry; sim. to stir-frying, but with cornstarch added; also written 溜

Etymology phono-semantic

fire

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character is a phono-semantic compound: the fire radical on the left side signals its semantic link to heat and cooking, while the component on the right provides the phonetic value. It names a specific Chinese cooking technique where ingredients are quickly fried and then coated in a thickened, starch-based sauce. The character's meaning is strictly limited to this culinary technique and the dishes that result, lacking any metaphorical extensions.