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March 24, 2026
烤kǎo(kao3)
The character 烤 (kǎo) means 'to roast' or 'to bake' and is commonly used in the context of preparing food, particularly with heat applied from below. It can refer to various cooking methods that involve high temperatures, such as baking bread or roasting meats. This term is often associated with traditional cooking techniques in Chinese cuisine.
Strokes10Radical火Frequency#1635DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, roasting is often celebrated during festivals, such as Peking Duck being a famous dish that involves the roasting technique, showcasing the importance of this cooking method in traditional celebrations.
Memory Tip
Imagine a chef wearing a 'crown' (sounds like 'kǎo') while 'roasting' a chicken over a fire. The character 烤 looks like a pot (火) over a fire (火), signifying the cooking process where heat is essential.
Meanings of 烤
kǎo(kao3)
1to roast
2to bake
Exercise 1 of 3
Listen & Choose the Meaning
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About 烤
烤Simplified
10Strokes
火Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#1635Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L4AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 烤
Podcast: 烤
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AI Study Notes for 烤
Quick Contrast
烤 (kǎo) vs 炖 (dùn) — use 烤 for methods involving direct heat, while 炖 refers to slow cooking with moisture.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a chef wearing a 'crown' (sounds like 'kǎo') while 'roasting' a chicken over a fire. The character 烤 looks like a pot (火) over a fire (火), signifying the cooking process where heat is essential.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 烤 with other cooking verbs like 煮 (zhǔ) which means 'to boil.' 烤 is more suitable for dry heat cooking methods. Be mindful of the tone; it should always be pronounced with a third tone (kǎo), as a wrong tone can change its meaning.
HSK Study Tips
Although 烤 is not officially listed in HSK levels, it relates to cooking verbs commonly taught at lower levels. Students should focus on associating 烤 with other cooking-related vocabulary, enhancing their culinary lexicon.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, roasting is often celebrated during festivals, such as Peking Duck being a famous dish that involves the roasting technique, showcasing the importance of this cooking method in traditional celebrations.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 烤 with the character 炒 (chǎo), which means 'to fry.' For example, saying '我烤饭' (wǒ kǎo fàn) instead of '我炒饭' (wǒ chǎo fàn) incorrectly suggests roasting rice instead of frying it.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 烤
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Grammar Patterns of 烤
烤 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
That smell of freshly baked bread carries me back!
9
他切开了那一大块烤牛肉。
tā qiē kāi le nà yī dà kuài kǎo niú ròu。
He carved the joint of beef.
10
过去每逢周四，她会把烤东西的活儿都做了。
guò qù měi féng zhōu sì， ， tā huì bǎ kǎo dōng xī de huó ér dū zuò。
On a Thursday she used to do all the baking.
Cultural Notes for 烤
💡Did you know?
In Chinese cuisine, roasting is a popular method, especially for meats like duck and pig. Peking Duck is one of the most famous roasted dishes, known for its crisp skin and tender meat.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, roasting is often celebrated during festivals, such as Peking Duck being a famous dish that involves the roasting technique, showcasing the importance of this cooking method in traditional celebrations.
Word Family of 烤
Words Containing This Character16
烤kǎoto roast
烧烤shāokǎobarbecue燒烤
烤肉kǎoròubarbecue (lit. roast meat)
烤箱oven
烤烟flue-cured tobacco烤煙
烘烤to roast
烤鸭kǎoyāroast duck烤鴨
烤炉oven (PRC)烤爐
烤鸡roast chicken烤雞
烤火to warm oneself at a fire
烤面包toast烤麵包
北京烤鸭Peking Duck北京烤鴨
烤盘baking tray烤盤
烤面包机toaster烤麵包機
烤炙to scorch
烤电diathermia (medical treatment involving local heating of body tissues with electric current)烤電
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 烤 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 烤
Common dishes that use 烤 include roasted duck (烤鸭) and baked bread (烤面包). In Chinese cuisine, roasting and baking are popular methods for enhancing flavors and textures in food.
Yes, 烤 is used in idioms such as '烤火' (kǎo huǒ) which means 'to warm oneself by the fire'. This expression conveys the idea of seeking warmth or comfort, especially during cold weather.
烤 (kǎo) means 'to roast', 'to bake', or 'to broil'. It is commonly used in the context of cooking food, especially meats and pastries. This character is often seen in recipes and menus.
You can use 烤 in sentences like '我想烤鸡肉' (Wǒ xiǎng kǎo jīròu) meaning 'I want to roast chicken'. It can also be used to describe the method of cooking, such as in '她在烤饼干' (Tā zài kǎo bǐnggān) which means 'She is baking cookies'.
烤 is primarily associated with dry heat methods, but it is often used alongside 煮 (to boil) and 炒 (to stir-fry) in cooking discussions.
烤 is mainly used for meats, bread, and vegetables that require roasting or baking; it's not suitable for dishes cooked in water.
Yes, 烤 can also refer to grilling, particularly in contexts where food is cooked over an open flame.
