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煨 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
煨wēito simmer, to stewv, 13 strokes, radical 火, rank #67395, Very Hard
煨wēito roast in ashesunknown, 13 strokes, radical 火, rank #67395, Very Hard
wēi(wei1)wei T1
  1. 1to simmer, to stew
  2. 2to roast in ashes
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March 24, 2026

煨wēi(wei1)

The character 煨 (wēi) refers to the cooking technique of simmering or stewing food gently over a low heat. It can also imply cooking something slowly in ashes, which suggests a method that brings out deep flavors and tender textures. This term is commonly used in culinary contexts, particularly when discussing traditional Chinese cooking methods.

Strokes13Radical火Frequency#67395DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese cuisine, slow cooking methods like 煨 are valued for their ability to develop rich flavors and tender textures, often seen in traditional dishes served during family gatherings or festivals.

Memory tip

Imagine a pot of stew simmering quietly on the stove, with soft steam rising gently into the air. The character 煨 looks like a pot (the top part) over a flame (the bottom part), reminding you of the slow cooking process, while the 'wēi' sounds like 'way', as in the 'way' to cook delicious food.

Meanings of 煨

wēi(wei1)
1to simmer, to stew
2to roast in ashes
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 煨 means.

About 煨

煨Simplified
13Strokes
火Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 煨

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Podcast: 煨

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AI study notes for 煨

Quick Contrast

煮 (zhǔ, to boil) — use 煨 when emphasizing slow cooking at low heat for deeper flavors, while 煮 is for faster cooking in boiling water.

Usage Notes

Be careful with the tone, as 'wēi' (煨) has a high level tone, which is different from 'wei' (为) meaning 'to do'. It is more commonly used in a culinary context, so avoid using it in casual conversations unrelated to cooking. Common collocations include 煨汤 (stewed soup) and 煨肉 (stewed meat).

HSK Study Tips

Although 煨 is not included in the HSK levels, it connects to cooking-related vocabulary that often appears at HSK 3 and above. Focus on learning related verbs and nouns in the kitchen, as they will enhance your ability to discuss food preparation in Mandarin.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 煨 (wēi) with 炖 (dùn), mistakenly using them interchangeably. Remember, 煨 focuses on simmering gently, whereas 炖 implies more direct cooking methods.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 煨

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Etymology of 煨

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

fire

Semantic (meaning)火
+
Phonetic (sound)畏
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

煨 = 火 + 畏. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 煨

IDS Structure⿰火畏
煨Full character
=
火Huo3
left
畏wei4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 煨?

How to say to simmer, to stew in Chinese

“to simmer, to stew” in Chinese is煨wēi

The character 煨 (wēi) refers to the cooking technique of simmering or stewing food gently over a low heat. It can also imply cooking something slowly in ashes, which suggests a method that brings out deep flavors and tender textures. This term is commonly used in culinary contexts, particularly when discussing traditional Chinese cooking methods.

When to use 煨

Be careful with the tone, as 'wēi' (煨) has a high level tone, which is different from 'wei' (为) meaning 'to do'. It is more commonly used in a culinary context, so avoid using it in casual conversations unrelated to cooking. Common collocations include 煨汤 (stewed soup) and 煨肉 (stewed meat).

煨 or something close to it

煮 (zhǔ, to boil) — use 煨 when emphasizing slow cooking at low heat for deeper flavors, while 煮 is for faster cooking in boiling water.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 煨 (wēi) with 炖 (dùn), mistakenly using them interchangeably. Remember, 煨 focuses on simmering gently, whereas 炖 implies more direct cooking methods.

Write 煨

煨

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

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Grammar patterns of 煨

煨 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 2 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.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

揭开锅盖,让汤再慢火____一下。

Uncover the pan and let the soup simmer.

Example sentences for 煨 (2)

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1
揭开锅盖,让汤再慢火煨一下。

jiē kāi guō gài, ràng shāng zài màn huǒ wēi yíxià。

Uncover the pan and let the soup simmer.
2
把汤小火煨上10分钟.

bǎ shāng xiǎo huǒ wēi shàng10 fēnzhōng.

Allow the soup to simmer gently for ten minutes.

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Word Family of 煨

Words containing this character1
煨wēito simmer

Frequently asked questions about 煨

Dishes like 煨汤 (stewed soup) and 煨肉 (stewed meat) are popular, especially in colder months.

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