Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
焐 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
焐wùto warm upv, 11 strokes, radical 火
焐wùto warm sth upunknown, 11 strokes, radical 火
wù(wu4) T4
  1. 1to warm up
  2. 2to warm sth up
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

焐wù(wu4)

The character 焐 (wù) means to warm up or to heat something, particularly in a gentle or gradual manner. It is often used in contexts involving food or drinks, where you want to increase the temperature without cooking or damaging the item. This word conveys a sense of care in warming, unlike more aggressive terms like '煮' (zhǔ), which means to boil.

Strokes11Radical火
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the act of warming food or drinks is often associated with hospitality and care for guests. This character reflects the cultural importance of serving food at the right temperature, enhancing the dining experience.

Memory Tip

Imagine a cozy, warm blanket wrapped around a hot cup of tea. The character 焐 resembles a roof (the top part) sheltering a warm fire below (the bottom part), symbolizing the nurturing warmth that embraces the item. The pronunciation 'wù' sounds like 'woo,' which you might say to a loved one while warming their drink.

Meanings of 焐

wù(wu4)
1to warm up
2to warm sth up
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 焐

焐Simplified
11Strokes
火Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 焐

JasonAmy

Podcast: 焐

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 焐

Quick Contrast

温 (wēn) — use 焐 when emphasizing a gentle warming process, while 温 can refer to a broader range of warming, including both gentle and moderate heat.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 焐 with similar-sounding characters; it specifically refers to gentle warming, not cooking. It is used in informal contexts, so be cautious when using it in formal writing. Common collocations include '焐热' (wù rè), meaning to warm up to a comfortable temperature.

HSK Study Tips

Although 焐 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it is useful for learners aiming to discuss food or hospitality. Students at the beginner to intermediate levels should focus on recognizing the character and its components, as well as similar verbs related to heat.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 焐 with 煮 (zhǔ), which means to boil or cook. For example, saying '我会焐这个汤' (I will warm this soup) is correct, while '我会煮这个汤' (I will cook this soup) changes the meaning significantly.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 焐

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 焐 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 焐

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

fire

Semantic (meaning)火
+
Phonetic (sound)吾
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 焐

  1. 1The meaning half火 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half吾 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayfire
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 焐? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 焐?

Decomposition of 焐

IDS Structure⿰火吾
焐Full Character
=
火Huo3
left
吾Wu2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 焐?

How to say to warm up in Chinese

“to warm up” in Chinese is焐wù

The character 焐 (wù) means to warm up or to heat something, particularly in a gentle or gradual manner. It is often used in contexts involving food or drinks, where you want to increase the temperature without cooking or damaging the item. This word conveys a sense of care in warming, unlike more aggressive terms like '煮' (zhǔ), which means to boil.

When to use 焐

Be careful not to confuse 焐 with similar-sounding characters; it specifically refers to gentle warming, not cooking. It is used in informal contexts, so be cautious when using it in formal writing. Common collocations include '焐热' (wù rè), meaning to warm up to a comfortable temperature.

焐 or something close to it

温 (wēn) — use 焐 when emphasizing a gentle warming process, while 温 can refer to a broader range of warming, including both gentle and moderate heat.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 焐 with 煮 (zhǔ), which means to boil or cook. For example, saying '我会焐这个汤' (I will warm this soup) is correct, while '我会煮这个汤' (I will cook this soup) changes the meaning significantly.

Write 焐

焐

Practice writing 焐 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 焐

Words Containing This Character1
焐wùto warm sth up
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 焐 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 焐

It is pronounced as 'wù'.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 焐?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.