釜

fǔ

丷 + 父 + 王

Definitions

fǔ kettle; cauldron

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 金 represents the meaning and 父 represents the sound.

Semantic: 金 Phonetic: 父

About

釜 refers to a large pot or cauldron for cooking food and boiling water. Its structure is a phono-semantic compound: the upper part 父 suggests the pronunciation, while the lower radical 金 (metal) points to the cast-metal material of these heavy culinary vessels. Over time, the character moved from everyday domestic use into classical idioms and historical texts, frequently appearing in military contexts where cooking pots were deliberately broken to symbolize absolute commitment to battle.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Warring States (475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Jin dynasty (266-420 AD)

Clerical Western Jin dynasty (266-316 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我去过釜山旅游。

Wǒ qù guò Fǔshān lǚyóu.

I have been to Busan for tourism.

这个铁釜很重。

Zhège tiě fǔ hěn zhòng.

This iron pot is very heavy.

妈妈用釜煮汤。

Māma yòng fǔ zhǔ tāng.

Mom uses a pot to cook soup.

压力釜能快速烹饪。

Yālì fǔ néng kuàisù pēngrèn.

The pressure cooker can cook quickly.

他把旧釜放在仓库里。

Tā bǎ jiù fǔ fàng zài cāngkù lǐ.

He put the old pot in the warehouse.

这个釜由不锈钢制成。

Zhège fǔ yóu bùxiùgāng zhì chéng.

This pot is made of stainless steel.

在传统厨房里，釜是重要的炊具。

Zài chuántǒng chúfáng lǐ, fǔ shì zhòngyào de chuījù.

In traditional kitchens, the pot is an important cooking utensil.

虽然这个釜外观古朴，但它的功能非常现代。

Suīrán zhège fǔ wàiguān gǔpǔ, dàn tā de gōngnéng fēicháng xiàndài.

Although this pot has a simple and antique appearance, its functions are very modern.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 丷

Component: 父

Component: 王

釜