Definitions

zhǔ (verb) to cook; to boil

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "煮" has consistently represented the concept of boiling or cooking in liquid, with its etymology and structure clearly illustrating this meaning through the combination of the phonetic component "者" and the semantic fire radical "灬", which signifies the application of heat. This compositional logic, linking sound and meaning, has remained intact over time, emphasizing the character's association with culinary processes involving sustained heat. While its core definition has persisted, the character's application has broadened slightly to include related methods such as simmering or stewing, yet without fundamental shift in its conceptual basis. The traditional form, maintaining this stable configuration, reflects a continuity in design that aligns with its functional role in the language.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Early Spring and Autumn (~700 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Mid Spring and Autumn (~600 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我在面条。

Wǒ zài zhǔ miàntiáo.

I am cooking noodles.

妈妈了一锅汤。

Māmā zhǔ le yī guō tāng.

Mom cooked a pot of soup.

请帮我几个鸡蛋。

Qǐng bāng wǒ zhǔ jǐ gè jīdàn.

Please help me boil a few eggs.

他喜欢用砂锅粥。

Tā xǐhuan yòng shāguō zhǔ zhōu.

He likes to cook congee in a clay pot.

把水沸就可以泡茶了。

Bǎ shuǐ zhǔ fèi jiù kěyǐ pào chá le.

Boil the water and then you can make tea.

她正在厨房里慢慢地着咖啡。

Tā zhèngzài chúfáng lǐ mànman de zhǔ zhe kāfēi.

She is slowly brewing coffee in the kitchen.

这道菜的时候要一边一边搅拌。

Zhǔ zhè dào cài de shíhòu yào yībiān zhǔ yībiān jiǎobàn.

You need to stir while cooking this dish.

科学家在实验室里制特殊的化合物。

Kēxuéjiā zài shíyànshì lǐ zhǔzhì tèshū de huàhéwù.

The scientists are cooking a special compound in the laboratory.