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蒸 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蒸zhēngto evaporateHSK 7, v, 13 strokes, radical 艹, rank #12723, Hard
蒸zhēng(of cooking) to steamHSK 7, v, 13 strokes, radical 艹, rank #12723, Hard
蒸zhēngtorch made from hemp stalks or bamboo (old)HSK 7, v, 13 strokes, radical 艹, rank #12723, Hard
蒸zhēngfinely chopped firewood (old)HSK 7, v, 13 strokes, radical 艹, rank #12723, Hard
蒸zhēngsteam, vapor; to evaporateHSK 7, v, 13 strokes, radical 艹, rank #12723, Hard
zhēng(zheng1) T1
  1. 1to evaporate
  2. 2(of cooking) to steam
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
蒸zhēng(zheng1)

The character 蒸 (zhēng) primarily means 'to steam' in a cooking context, referring to the method of cooking food by using steam. It can also mean 'to evaporate,' indicating the process of a liquid turning into vapor. This word is commonly used in culinary discussions and can denote both the method of preparation and the resulting texture of the food.

Strokes13Radical艹Frequency#12723DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese cuisine, steaming is a popular cooking method that retains the nutrients and flavors of ingredients. Dishes like steamed dumplings (蒸饺) and fish are staples in many Chinese households, emphasizing the importance of 蒸 in culinary traditions.

Memory Tip

Imagine a steaming pot that looks like a big cloud (the 蒸 character has a 'cloud' radical at the top) releasing soft, delicious food (the bottom part suggests cooking). Picture yourself saying 'zhēng' as you lift the lid and see the steam escape, making the food inside tender and flavorful.

Meanings of 蒸

zhēng(zheng1)
1to evaporate
2(of cooking) to steam
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 蒸

蒸Simplified
13Strokes
艹Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#12723Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 蒸

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Podcast: 蒸

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AI Study Notes for 蒸

Quick Contrast

蒸 (zhēng, to steam) vs 煮 (zhǔ, to boil) — use 蒸 for cooking with steam rather than boiling in water.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a steaming pot that looks like a big cloud (the 蒸 character has a 'cloud' radical at the top) releasing soft, delicious food (the bottom part suggests cooking). Picture yourself saying 'zhēng' as you lift the lid and see the steam escape, making the food inside tender and flavorful.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 蒸 (zhēng) with 煮 (zhǔ), which means 'to boil.' Remember that 蒸 specifically relates to cooking with steam. It is typically used in informal settings but can also appear in recipes and cooking instructions.

HSK Study Tips

Although 蒸 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it aligns with cooking-related terms that might appear in daily conversations. Students should focus on understanding its use in various cooking contexts and how it relates to other cooking verbs like 煮 (to boil) and 炒 (to stir-fry).

Cultural Note

In Chinese cuisine, steaming is a popular cooking method that retains the nutrients and flavors of ingredients. Dishes like steamed dumplings (蒸饺) and fish are staples in many Chinese households, emphasizing the importance of 蒸 in culinary traditions.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is confusing 蒸 with 煮; for example, saying '我蒸水' (Wǒ zhēng shuǐ) which means 'I steam water' is incorrect. Instead, use 煮: '我煮水' (Wǒ zhǔ shuǐ).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蒸

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Etymology of 蒸

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

Steam 烝 provides the meaning and sound

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 蒸?

Decomposition of 蒸

IDS Structure⿱艹烝
蒸Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
烝zheng1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蒸?

Write 蒸

蒸

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

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Grammar Patterns of 蒸

蒸 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.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

在发电厂里，热能将水转化成高压____汽。

In an electric power plant the heat converts water into high-pressure steam.

Example Sentences for 蒸 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
在发电厂里，热能将水转化成高压蒸汽。

zài fā diàn chǎng lǐ， ， rè néng jiāng shuǐ zhuǎn huà chéng gāo yā zhēng。

In an electric power plant the heat converts water into high-pressure steam.
2
富有创造力的人一般都意志非常坚定，能不断克服困难，事业蒸蒸日上。

fù yǒu chuàng zào lì de rén yī bān dū yì zhì fēi cháng jiān dìng， ， néng bù duàn kè fú kùn， nán ， shì yè zhēng zhēng。

Creative people are usually very determined and thrive on overcoming obstacles.
3
原先苹果酒里的任何杂质在蒸馏后都会凸现出来。

yuán xiān píng guǒ jiǔ lǐ de rèn hé zá zhì zài zhēng liù hòu dū huì tū xiàn chū lái。

Any faults in the original cider stood out sharply after distillation.
4
两种主要的燃烧产物是水蒸气和二氧化碳。

liǎng zhǒng zhǔ yào de rán shāo chǎn wù shì shuǐ zhēng qì hé èr yǎng huà tàn。

The two principal combustion products are water vapor and carbon dioxide.
5
引擎盖下喷出滚滚的蒸汽。

yǐn qíng gài xià pēn chū gǔn gǔn de zhēng qì。

Steam billowed out from under the bonnet.
6
将蔬菜蒸至大半熟后从蒸锅里捞出。

jiāng shū cài zhēng zhì dà bàn shú hòu cóng zhēng guō lǐ lāo chū。

Remove the vegetables from the steamer when they are three-quarters cooked.
7
壶里的水开了，冒着蒸汽。

hú lǐ de shuǐ kāi le， ， mào zháo zhēng。

Steam rose from the boiling kettle.
8
谁发明了蒸汽机?

shuí fā míng le zhēng qì jī?

Who invented the steam engine?
9
之后我们向东沿铁路行去找蒸汽机车.

zhī hòu wǒ mén xiàng dōng yán tiě lù háng qù zhǎo zhēng qì jī chē.

We then walked eastward along the track to find the steam engines.
10
向它喷射冷空气可以使水蒸发。

xiàng tā pēn shè lěng kōng qì kě yǐ shǐ shuǐ zhēng fā。

Blasting cold air over it makes the water evaporate.

Cultural Notes for 蒸

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese cuisine, steaming is a popular cooking method that retains the nutrients and flavors of ingredients. Dishes like steamed dumplings (蒸饺) and fish are staples in many Chinese households, emphasizing the importance of 蒸 in culinary traditions.

Word Family of 蒸

Words Containing This Character19
蒸zhēngto evaporate
蒸发zhēngfāto evaporate蒸發
蒸汽steam
蒸蒸日上becoming more prosperous with each passing day
蒸馏to distill蒸餾
蒸馏水distilled water蒸餾水
蒸气vapor蒸氣
清蒸steamed in broth
熏蒸to fumigate燻蒸
水蒸气vapor水蒸氣
蒸锅steamer蒸鍋
蒸笼steamer basket (e.g. for dimsum)蒸籠
蒸汽机steam engine蒸汽機
蒸饺steamed dumpling蒸餃
蒸腾to hang in the air蒸騰
蒸馏器still (i.e. distilling apparatus)蒸餾器
蒸汽机车steam locomotive蒸汽機車
蒸散(plant) evapotranspiration
蒸腾作用transpiration蒸騰作用
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 蒸 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蒸

You can say '我喜欢蒸菜' (Wǒ xǐhuān zhēng cài), which means 'I like steamed vegetables.'