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March 24, 2026
汆cuān(cuan1)
汆 (cuān) means to parboil or quickly boil food, typically in water. This cooking technique is often used to prepare ingredients before further cooking methods, such as stir-frying or steaming, are applied. It's commonly used in Chinese cuisine to enhance flavor and texture.
Strokes6Radical水Frequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
汆 is particularly relevant in the context of hot pot dining in China, where ingredients are often parboiled before being added to the hot pot for flavor enhancement.
Memory Tip
Imagine a kettle (水, water) that quickly brings food to a boil, making it ready for the next step. The character 汆 resembles water with a quick motion, emphasizing the swift action of boiling.
Meanings of 汆
cuān(cuan1)
1to parboil; to boil; a kettle of hot water
2quick-boil
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About 汆
汆Simplified
6Strokes
水Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 汆
Podcast: 汆
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AI Study Notes for 汆
Quick Contrast
焯 (zhuō) — use 汆 when referring to a quick boil without full cooking, while 焯 implies blanching for color and texture preservation.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a kettle (水, water) that quickly brings food to a boil, making it ready for the next step. The character 汆 resembles water with a quick motion, emphasizing the swift action of boiling.
Usage Notes
Common mistakes include confusing 汆 with other boiling methods like 煮 (zhǔ), which means to boil thoroughly. Use 汆 in informal cooking contexts, and be careful with the tone; many learners mispronounce it as 'zhuan', which alters the meaning entirely.
HSK Study Tips
汆 is not part of the HSK curriculum, but it can be connected to HSK Level 3 vocabulary related to cooking and food. Students should focus on understanding how it's used in recipes and cooking instructions.
Cultural Note
汆 is particularly relevant in the context of hot pot dining in China, where ingredients are often parboiled before being added to the hot pot for flavor enhancement.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 汆 with 煮, incorrectly using '汆' in contexts that require a thorough cooking method, such as saying '汆 meat' instead of '煮 meat' for cooking meat completely.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 汆
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Cultural Notes for 汆
🏮Cultural insight
汆 is particularly relevant in the context of hot pot dining in China, where ingredients are often parboiled before being added to the hot pot for flavor enhancement.
Word Family of 汆
Words Containing This Character1
汆cuānquick-boil
Exercise 1 of 1
Compound Meaning
What does 汆 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 汆
Common dishes include dumplings and certain vegetable preparations where ingredients are quickly boiled before further cooking.
汆 implies a quick boil or parboil, while 煮 refers to boiling something thoroughly.
Yes, 汆 can be used for meats that you want to parboil before grilling or stir-frying.
