HSK 7, v, 8 strokes, radical 火, rank #6850, Very Hard
炖
dùn
to stew
HSK 7, unknown, 8 strokes, radical 火, rank #6850, Very Hard
dùn(dun4) T4
1stew; to cook stew
2to stew
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March 24, 2026
炖(燉)dùn(dun4)
The verb 炖 (dùn) refers to the cooking method of stewing, where food is cooked slowly in a small amount of liquid over low heat. This technique allows flavors to meld and enhances the tenderness of the ingredients, making it common in preparing soups, meats, and vegetables in Chinese cuisine.
Strokes8Radical火Frequency#6850DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
Stewing is a traditional cooking method in Chinese cuisine, often associated with family meals and comfort food. Dishes like 红烧肉 (hóng shāo ròu, braised pork) showcase the importance of slow cooking to develop rich flavors.
Memory Tip
Imagine a pot simmering on a low flame, with ingredients slowly merging into a delicious stew. The word 炖 (dùn) looks like a pot (火, meaning fire) and the ingredients being cooked together. Visualize 'dùn' as 'dining' on a warm stew, with the 'd' sound reminding you of the deliciousness that comes from slow cooking.
Meanings of 炖
dùn(dun4)
1stew; to cook stew
2to stew
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 炖
炖Simplified
燉Traditional
8Strokes
火Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2
Podcast: 炖
Podcast: 炖
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AI Study Notes for 炖
Quick Contrast
煮 (zhǔ) - use 炖 when referring to slow cooking for flavor melding, while 煮 is for boiling or cooking quickly in water.
Usage Notes
While 炖 is primarily used in the context of cooking, it can also appear in phrases like '炖汤' (dùn tāng, stewed soup). Be careful not to confuse it with 煮 (zhǔ), which refers to boiling. This word is typically used in informal settings; however, it can be used in more formal culinary contexts as well.
HSK Study Tips
Although 炖 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects with other cooking-related terms at this level. Students should focus on the context of cooking and how this word interacts with ingredients and dishes, enhancing their culinary vocabulary.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 炖 with 煮 when describing cooking methods. For example, saying '我煮牛肉' (Wǒ zhǔ niúròu) implies boiling beef, rather than stewing it, which is incorrect if stewing is intended.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 炖
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Phonosemantic compound. 火 represents the meaning and 屯 represents the sound. Simplified form of 燉.
1The meaning half火 carries the sense.
2The sound half屯 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayfire
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 炖? 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 炖?
Decomposition of 炖
IDS Structure⿰火屯
炖Full Character
=
火Huo3
left
屯tun2
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 炖?
How to say stew; to cook stew in Chinese
“stew; to cook stew” in Chinese is炖dùn
The verb 炖 (dùn) refers to the cooking method of stewing, where food is cooked slowly in a small amount of liquid over low heat. This technique allows flavors to meld and enhances the tenderness of the ingredients, making it common in preparing soups, meats, and vegetables in Chinese cuisine.
When to use 炖
While 炖 is primarily used in the context of cooking, it can also appear in phrases like '炖汤' (dùn tāng, stewed soup). Be careful not to confuse it with 煮 (zhǔ), which refers to boiling. This word is typically used in informal settings; however, it can be used in more formal culinary contexts as well.
炖 or something close to it
煮 (zhǔ) - use 炖 when referring to slow cooking for flavor melding, while 煮 is for boiling or cooking quickly in water.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 炖 with 煮 when describing cooking methods. For example, saying '我煮牛肉' (Wǒ zhǔ niúròu) implies boiling beef, rather than stewing it, which is incorrect if stewing is intended.
Write 炖
炖
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Grammar Patterns of 炖
炖 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.
