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馇 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
馇chāto stir, to cook, to boil; porridgex, 12 strokes, radical 饣
chā(cha1) T1
  1. 1to stir, to cook, to boil; porridge
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

馇chā(cha1)

The character 馇 (chā) primarily means to stir or cook, particularly in the context of preparing porridge or similar dishes. It often implies a process of mixing ingredients together, especially in a liquid form. This character is commonly used in culinary contexts, particularly in traditional Chinese cooking.

Strokes12Radical饣
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, porridge (often referred to as 粥, zhōu) is a staple food that embodies comfort and care, often prepared for the sick or elderly. Understanding the term 馇 helps learners appreciate the significance of food preparation in Chinese familial bonds.

Memory Tip

Imagine a chef stirring a pot of porridge. The character 馇 is like a pot (the bottom part) bubbling as you stir (the top part resembles stirring motion). The pronunciation 'chā' can be remembered by associating it with the sound of a spoon clanking against a pot while cooking.

Meanings of 馇

chā(cha1)
1to stir, to cook, to boil; porridge
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 馇

馇Simplified
12Strokes
饣Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 馇

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Podcast: 馇

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AI Study Notes for 馇

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 馇 with similar characters related to cooking or mixing, such as 煮 (zhǔ), which means to boil. This character is generally used in informal settings related to cooking rather than formal language. Be mindful not to mispronounce the initial 'ch' sound, as it can alter understanding.

HSK Study Tips

While 馇 is not included in the official HSK lists, it connects to HSK Level 2 vocabulary related to food and cooking. Students should focus on recognizing this character in cooking contexts and associating it with other culinary terms they learn at this level.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 馇 with 煮 (zhǔ), leading to errors in context. For example, saying '我煮粥' (I boil porridge) instead of '我馇粥' (I stir porridge) misses the nuance of preparation.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 馇

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Etymology of 馇

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

food

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 馇

  1. 1The meaning half饣 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half查 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayfood
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 馇? 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 馇?

Decomposition of 馇

IDS Structure⿰饣查
馇Full Character
=
饣shi2
left
查cha2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 馇?

How to say to stir, to cook, to boil; porridge in Chinese

“to stir, to cook, to boil; porridge” in Chinese is馇chā

The character 馇 (chā) primarily means to stir or cook, particularly in the context of preparing porridge or similar dishes. It often implies a process of mixing ingredients together, especially in a liquid form. This character is commonly used in culinary contexts, particularly in traditional Chinese cooking.

When to use 馇

Common mistakes include confusing 馇 with similar characters related to cooking or mixing, such as 煮 (zhǔ), which means to boil. This character is generally used in informal settings related to cooking rather than formal language. Be mindful not to mispronounce the initial 'ch' sound, as it can alter understanding.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 馇 with 煮 (zhǔ), leading to errors in context. For example, saying '我煮粥' (I boil porridge) instead of '我馇粥' (I stir porridge) misses the nuance of preparation.

Write 馇

馇

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Frequently Asked Questions about 馇

馇 is commonly associated with porridge and other liquid-based dishes where stirring is essential.

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