Meanings of 涮
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About 涮
Podcast: 涮
Podcast: 涮
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AI Study Notes for 涮
涮 (shuàn) vs 烫 (tàng): Use 涮 when referring to quickly dipping food in boiling liquid, while 烫 indicates a more general action of scalding or heating something with hot water.
When using 涮 in a culinary context, it is typically associated with hot pot meals, so remember to use it in informal settings. A common mistake is to confuse it with 煮 (zhǔ), which means to boil for a longer time. Ensure you use the correct tone to avoid misunderstanding: 涮 (shuàn) is the fourth tone.
Although 涮 is not part of the official HSK levels, it connects well with food-related vocabulary commonly found in HSK materials. Focus on learning related cooking terms and phrases that might come up in dining scenarios, as this will enhance your conversational skills.
Learners often mistakenly use 涮 in contexts implying prolonged cooking, such as saying 'I 涮 the chicken for an hour.' Instead, it should be 'I 涮 the chicken briefly in the hot pot.'
Pronunciation of 涮
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Etymology of 涮
Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 刷 represents the sound.
water
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 涮
Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 刷 represents the sound.
- 1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half刷 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawaywater
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 涮? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 涮
Identify the Components
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How to say to rinse in Chinese
“to rinse” in Chinese is涮
The character 涮 (shuàn) primarily means to quickly dip or rinse food, especially thinly sliced ingredients, in boiling water or soup, a common practice in hot pot dining. Additionally, it can mean to trick or fool someone, often used in informal contexts. The culinary usage emphasizes a social and interactive aspect of dining in Chinese culture.
When to use 涮
When using 涮 in a culinary context, it is typically associated with hot pot meals, so remember to use it in informal settings. A common mistake is to confuse it with 煮 (zhǔ), which means to boil for a longer time. Ensure you use the correct tone to avoid misunderstanding: 涮 (shuàn) is the fourth tone.
涮 or something close to it
涮 (shuàn) vs 烫 (tàng): Use 涮 when referring to quickly dipping food in boiling liquid, while 烫 indicates a more general action of scalding or heating something with hot water.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly use 涮 in contexts implying prolonged cooking, such as saying 'I 涮 the chicken for an hour.' Instead, it should be 'I 涮 the chicken briefly in the hot pot.'
Write 涮
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Practice writing 涮 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 涮
涮 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 5 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.
Complete the Sentence
倒掉沉渣,把壶____干净.
Pour the dregs away and rinse the pot.
Example Sentences for 涮 (1)
Word Family of 涮
Compound Meaning
What does 涮 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 涮
涮 (shuàn) refers to quickly dipping food in boiling liquid, while 煮 (zhǔ) means to boil food for a longer time.
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