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炙 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
炙zhìto roast, to broil; to cauterizezg, 8 strokes, radical 火, rank #19345, Very Hard
zhì(zhi4) T4
  1. 1to roast, to broil; to cauterize
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

炙zhì(zhi4)

The character 炙 (zhì) primarily means to roast or broil food, particularly over an open flame. It can also refer to the medical practice of cauterizing wounds, indicating the application of heat to achieve a desired effect. This word is commonly used in culinary contexts as well as in discussions about traditional Chinese medicine.

Strokes8Radical火Frequency#19345DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, roasting methods, such as those used in Peking Duck, are highly regarded and illustrate a deep appreciation for culinary techniques. The concept of 炙 also ties into traditional medicine, where cauterization was historically used to treat injuries.

Memory Tip

Imagine a chef roasting a delicious piece of meat over a roaring fire. The sound of sizzling and the smell of the food make you think of 'zhì' - which sounds like 'cheat' when you think of a chef using heat to 'cheat' the cooking process to make it faster! The character itself has the radical 火 (fire), linking it directly to the process of roasting.

Meanings of 炙

zhì(zhi4)
1to roast, to broil; to cauterize
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 炙

炙Simplified
8Strokes
火Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 炙

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Podcast: 炙

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AI Study Notes for 炙

Quick Contrast

烤 (kǎo) — use 炙 (zhì) when emphasizing the method of roasting over an open flame, rather than general baking or roasting.

Usage Notes

炙 (zhì) is typically used in more formal contexts, especially when discussing cooking methods or medical treatments. Common collocations include 炙肉 (roasted meat) and 炙烤 (to broil). Be mindful of the tone; using the wrong tone can lead to misunderstandings, as 'zhì' can sound similar to other words.

HSK Study Tips

While 炙 (zhì) is not included in the HSK vocabulary list, it relates to HSK Level 4 due to its culinary and health-related contexts. Students should focus on related characters like 烤 (kǎo, to bake) and 煮 (zhǔ, to boil) for broader culinary vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 炙 (zhì) with similar-sounding words or use it incorrectly in informal contexts. For example, saying '我想炙这个菜' (I want to zhì this dish) instead of '我想烤这个菜' (I want to kǎo this dish) is incorrect as 炙 is too formal for casual cooking discussions.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 炙

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Etymology of 炙

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

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

Memory Hint

fire

Semantic (meaning)火
+
Phonetic (sound)月
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 炙

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

  1. 1The meaning half火 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half月 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayfire
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 炙? 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 炙?

Decomposition of 炙

IDS Structure⿱月火
炙Full Character
=
月yue4
top
火Huo3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 炙?

How to say to roast, to broil; to cauterize in Chinese

“to roast, to broil; to cauterize” in Chinese is炙zhì

The character 炙 (zhì) primarily means to roast or broil food, particularly over an open flame. It can also refer to the medical practice of cauterizing wounds, indicating the application of heat to achieve a desired effect. This word is commonly used in culinary contexts as well as in discussions about traditional Chinese medicine.

When to use 炙

炙 (zhì) is typically used in more formal contexts, especially when discussing cooking methods or medical treatments. Common collocations include 炙肉 (roasted meat) and 炙烤 (to broil). Be mindful of the tone; using the wrong tone can lead to misunderstandings, as 'zhì' can sound similar to other words.

炙 or something close to it

烤 (kǎo) — use 炙 (zhì) when emphasizing the method of roasting over an open flame, rather than general baking or roasting.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 炙 (zhì) with similar-sounding words or use it incorrectly in informal contexts. For example, saying '我想炙这个菜' (I want to zhì this dish) instead of '我想烤这个菜' (I want to kǎo this dish) is incorrect as 炙 is too formal for casual cooking discussions.

Write 炙

炙

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 炙

炙 carries one core meaning. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 2

Complete the Sentence

公路蜿蜒数英里，穿过____烤的大地、灌木丛和仙人掌。

The road winds for miles through parched earth, scrub and cactus.

Example Sentences for 炙 (2)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
公路蜿蜒数英里，穿过炙烤的大地、灌木丛和仙人掌。

gōng lù wān yán shù yīng lǐ， ， chuān guò zhì kǎo de dà、 dì 、 guàn mù cóng hé xiān。

The road winds for miles through parched earth, scrub and cactus.
2
黑加仑, 红莓酱, 绿椒, 烤炙过的浆果,辣, 黑李子味.

hēi jiā lún, , hóng méi, jiàng ,, lǜ jiāo , kǎo zhì guò, de, jiāng guǒ , là.

Black currants, red - berried jams, green pepper, roasted berries , spices, plums.

Word Family of 炙

Words Containing This Character4
炙zhìto broil
炙手可热fig. arrogance of the powerful炙手可熱
脍炙人口appealing to the masses膾炙人口
烤炙to scorch
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 炙 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 炙

While both words relate to cooking with heat, 炙 (zhì) specifically refers to roasting or broiling, often over an open flame, whereas 烤 (kǎo) can mean a broader range of baking and roasting methods.

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