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煳 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
煳húburnt; to char (in cooking)a, 13 strokes, radical 火
煳húto charunknown, 13 strokes, radical 火
hú(hu2)hu T2
  1. 1burnt; to char (in cooking)
  2. 2to char
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March 24, 2026

煳hú(hu2)

The character 煳 (hú) refers to something that has been burnt or charred, often in the context of cooking. It is commonly used to describe food that has been overcooked or has developed a burnt flavor, emphasizing the negative aspect of cooking gone wrong.

Strokes13Radical火
Cultural note

In Chinese cuisine, the concept of burning food is not just about taste but also about the care and attention taken in cooking. Overcooked dishes can reflect poorly on the cook's skills and are often humorously mentioned in family gatherings.

Memory tip

Imagine cooking a pot of rice. If you leave it on the stove too long, it turns black and burnt, resembling the character 煳 with its sharp edges and dark appearance. The 'hú' sound can remind you of 'who cooked this burnt rice?'

Meanings of 煳

hú(hu2)
1burnt; to char (in cooking)
2to char
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 煳 means.

About 煳

煳Simplified
13Strokes
火Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 煳

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Podcast: 煳

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AI study notes for 煳

Quick Contrast

焦 (jiāo) - use 煳 (hú) when referring specifically to food that is burnt to an undesirable extent, whereas 焦 (jiāo) can also refer to food that is intentionally charred for flavor.

Usage Notes

This character is often used in informal contexts, particularly when discussing cooking mistakes. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words; 煳 specifically denotes a negative outcome of burning rather than just cooking. Common collocations include 煳饭 (burnt rice) and 煳菜 (burnt vegetables).

HSK Study Tips

Although 煳 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it is useful for learners who are at HSK 4 or above. Students should focus on recognizing its application in food-related contexts and how it can describe both literal and metaphorical 'burnt' situations.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 煳 with 烧 (shāo), which means to cook or burn without the negative connotation. For example, saying '煳了饭' (burnt rice) instead of '烧了饭' (cooked rice) can lead to misunderstandings about the quality of the dish.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 煳

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Etymology of 煳

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory hint

A reckless 胡 flame 火; 胡 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 煳?

Decomposition of 煳

IDS Structure⿰火胡
煳Full character
=
火Huo3
left
胡Hu2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 煳?

How to say burnt; to char (in cooking) in Chinese

“burnt; to char (in cooking)” in Chinese is煳hú

The character 煳 (hú) refers to something that has been burnt or charred, often in the context of cooking. It is commonly used to describe food that has been overcooked or has developed a burnt flavor, emphasizing the negative aspect of cooking gone wrong.

When to use 煳

This character is often used in informal contexts, particularly when discussing cooking mistakes. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words; 煳 specifically denotes a negative outcome of burning rather than just cooking. Common collocations include 煳饭 (burnt rice) and 煳菜 (burnt vegetables).

煳 or something close to it

焦 (jiāo) - use 煳 (hú) when referring specifically to food that is burnt to an undesirable extent, whereas 焦 (jiāo) can also refer to food that is intentionally charred for flavor.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 煳 with 烧 (shāo), which means to cook or burn without the negative connotation. For example, saying '煳了饭' (burnt rice) instead of '烧了饭' (cooked rice) can lead to misunderstandings about the quality of the dish.

Write 煳

煳

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

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Grammar patterns of 煳

煳 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高,not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. 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 1

Fill the gap

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

在烘板上将榛子烤至表皮微____。

Toast hazelnuts on a baking sheet until the skins char.

Example sentences for 煳 (1)

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1
在烘板上将榛子烤至表皮微煳。

zài hōng bǎn shàng jiāng zhēn zi kǎo zhì biǎo pí Wēi hú。

Toast hazelnuts on a baking sheet until the skins char.

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Word Family of 煳

Words containing this character1
煳húburnt

Frequently asked questions about 煳

You can say: '这道菜煳了' (This dish is burnt).

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