粥

yù, zhōu

弓 + 米

HSK 2.0Level 6

HSK 3.0Level 6

Definitions

zhōu (noun) congee; gruel; porridge

Etymology

Depicts porridge being made from rice (米) around hot rising steam. Derived from 鬻.

About

粥 derives from 鬻, which once depicted rice (米) being boiled in a cauldron with curling steam above. In the simplified form, the cauldron has been dropped, leaving the rice centered between two 弓 shapes that still suggest the rising steam. This arrangement evokes the cooking process that turns solid grains into a soft, semi-liquid mush. It refers to a thick porridge made by boiling grains in abundant water until they break down and thicken the liquid.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我喜欢喝粥。

Wǒ xǐhuān hē zhōu.

I like to drink porridge.

妈妈煮了一锅热粥。

Māmā zhǔ le yī guō rè zhōu.

Mom cooked a pot of hot porridge.

早餐我常常吃粥。

Zǎocān wǒ chángcháng chī zhōu.

I often eat porridge for breakfast.

这碗粥很有营养。

Zhè wǎn zhōu hěn yǒu yíngyǎng.

This bowl of porridge is very nutritious.

那家粥铺的小米粥很好喝。

Nà jiā zhōupù de xiǎomǐ zhōu hěn hǎo hē.

The millet porridge from that porridge shop is very tasty.

病人适合吃一些清淡的粥。

Bìngrén shìhé chī yīxiē qīngdàn de zhōu.

Patients are suitable to eat some light porridge.

这家餐厅的粥品样式非常多。

Zhè jiā cāntīng de zhōupǐn yàngshì fēicháng duō.

This restaurant has a very wide variety of porridge dishes.

粥比米饭更容易消化。

Zhōu bǐ mǐfàn gèng róngyì xiāohuà.

Porridge is easier to digest than rice.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 弓

Component: 米

粥