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炊 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
炊chuīto cook foodn, 8 strokes, radical 火, rank #72654, Very Hard
炊chuīmeal; to cook, to steamn, 8 strokes, radical 火, rank #72654, Very Hard
chuī(chui1)chui T1
  1. 1to cook food
  2. 2meal; to cook, to steam
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March 24, 2026

炊chuī(chui1)

The character 炊 (chuī) primarily refers to the act of cooking, particularly in the context of preparing food through methods such as steaming or boiling. It can also represent a meal itself, emphasizing the preparation aspect of food. This term is often used in both everyday conversation and culinary contexts.

Strokes8Radical火Frequency#72654DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, meal preparation is often seen as a communal activity, and the term 炊 reflects the importance of cooking in family gatherings and celebrations. Cooking techniques passed down through generations are highly valued.

Memory Tip

Imagine a chef blowing gently (chuī sounds like 'chew') on a pot of steaming food. The steam rising represents the cooking process, and the character 炊 looks like a pot over a flame, emphasizing the act of cooking.

Meanings of 炊

chuī(chui1)
1to cook food
2meal; to cook, to steam
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 炊 means.

About 炊

炊Simplified
8Strokes
火Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#65535Frequency Rank

Podcast: 炊

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Podcast: 炊

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AI Study Notes for 炊

Quick Contrast

煮 (zhǔ) vs 炖 (dùn) — use 炊 for general cooking or meal preparation, while 煮 specifically refers to boiling food, and 炖 implies slow-cooking or stewing.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 炊 (chuī) with other cooking-related terms like 煮 (zhǔ), which means to boil. The tone is crucial; a wrong tone can lead to misunderstandings. Common collocations include 炊饭 (chuī fàn - to cook rice) and 炊事 (chuī shì - cooking affairs).

HSK Study Tips

While 炊 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects to other cooking-related terms like 煮 (boil) and 炒 (stir-fry) that are essential for HSK level 3 and beyond. Focus on the context of cooking to enhance vocabulary retention.

Common Mistakes

Learners often misuse 炊 in contexts where 煮 or 炒 would be more appropriate, like saying 炊水 (chuī shuǐ) instead of 煮水 (zhǔ shuǐ) for boiling water. Pay attention to the specific cooking methods to avoid confusion.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 炊

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Etymology of 炊

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

Phonosemantic compound. 火 represents the meaning and 欠 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

fire

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

Origin

炊 = 火 + 欠. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 炊

IDS Structure⿰火欠
炊Full Character
=
火Huo3
left
欠qian4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 炊?

How to say to cook food in Chinese

“to cook food” in Chinese is炊chuī

The character 炊 (chuī) primarily refers to the act of cooking, particularly in the context of preparing food through methods such as steaming or boiling. It can also represent a meal itself, emphasizing the preparation aspect of food. This term is often used in both everyday conversation and culinary contexts.

When to use 炊

Be careful not to confuse 炊 (chuī) with other cooking-related terms like 煮 (zhǔ), which means to boil. The tone is crucial; a wrong tone can lead to misunderstandings. Common collocations include 炊饭 (chuī fàn - to cook rice) and 炊事 (chuī shì - cooking affairs).

炊 or something close to it

煮 (zhǔ) vs 炖 (dùn) — use 炊 for general cooking or meal preparation, while 煮 specifically refers to boiling food, and 炖 implies slow-cooking or stewing.

What learners get wrong

Learners often misuse 炊 in contexts where 煮 or 炒 would be more appropriate, like saying 炊水 (chuī shuǐ) instead of 煮水 (zhǔ shuǐ) for boiling water. Pay attention to the specific cooking methods to avoid confusion.

Write 炊

炊

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

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Grammar Patterns of 炊

炊 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). 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 2

Fill the gap

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

____烟旋绕.

A wisp of smoke is curling up from a chimney.

Example Sentences for 炊 (1)

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1
炊烟旋绕.

chuī yān xuán rào.

A wisp of smoke is curling up from a chimney.
Exercise 1 of 1

Rebuild it

Rebuild it: “A wisp of smoke is curling up from a chimney.”

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Word Family of 炊

Words Containing This Character7
炊事cooking
炊具cookware
炊chuīto cook food
炊烟chuīyānsmoke from kitchen chimneys炊煙
炊事员cook炊事員
巧妇难为无米之炊The cleverest housewife cannot cook without rice (idiom); You won't get anywhere without equipment.巧婦難為無米之炊
炊帚pot-scrubbing brush, made from bamboo strips
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 炊

What does 炊事 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 炊

炊 (chuī) refers to the act of cooking, often with steaming, while 煮 (zhǔ) specifically means to boil.

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