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炖 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
炖
dùn
stew; to cook stew
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)dun 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
By ear
Play it, then pick what 炖 means.
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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Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 炖 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
炖 = 火 + 屯. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 炖
IDS Structure⿰火屯
炖Full character
=
火Huo3
left
屯tun2
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part 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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Practice writing 炖 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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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.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
