Meanings of 烫
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Podcast: 烫
Podcast: 烫
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AI Study Notes for 烫
烫 (tàng) vs 热 (rè) — use 烫 for actions involving scalding or burning, while 热 refers to something being hot in temperature without the implication of burning.
Be careful not to confuse 烫 with 热 (rè), which means 'hot' in a more general sense. 烫 is more specific to burning or scalding with heat. It is used in both formal and informal contexts but tends to be more commonly used in everyday conversations about cooking and hair styling.
As an HSK Level 5 word, 烫 connects with other cooking-related vocabulary, such as 煮 (zhǔ - to boil) and 炒 (chǎo - to stir-fry). Focus on using 烫 in practical cooking scenarios or when discussing hair styling to reinforce its meaning.
Learners often confuse 烫 with the character 热 (rè) when they want to describe something as hot. For example, saying '水很烫' (Shuǐ hěn tàng - The water is hot) is incorrect; it should be '水很热' (Shuǐ hěn rè).
Pronunciation of 烫
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Jason Explains 烫 to You
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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.
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Etymology of 烫
Phonosemantic compound. 火 represents the meaning and 汤 represents the sound. Simplified form of 燙.
fire
Origin
烫 = 火 + 汤. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 烫
Parts
Which of these is part of 烫?
How to say to scald in Chinese
“to scald” in Chinese is烫
The character 烫 (tàng) primarily means 'to scald' or 'to burn by scalding.' It is commonly used in the context of cooking, such as blanching vegetables or heating food in hot water. Additionally, it can refer to processes like perming hair or ironing clothes, indicating actions involving heat.
When to use 烫
Be careful not to confuse 烫 with 热 (rè), which means 'hot' in a more general sense. 烫 is more specific to burning or scalding with heat. It is used in both formal and informal contexts but tends to be more commonly used in everyday conversations about cooking and hair styling.
烫 or something close to it
烫 (tàng) vs 热 (rè) — use 烫 for actions involving scalding or burning, while 热 refers to something being hot in temperature without the implication of burning.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 烫 with the character 热 (rè) when they want to describe something as hot. For example, saying '水很烫' (Shuǐ hěn tàng - The water is hot) is incorrect; it should be '水很热' (Shuǐ hěn rè).
Write 烫
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Practice writing 烫 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 烫
烫 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 8 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.
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
你常出汗或是脸上常发____吗？
Do you sweat a lot or flush a lot?
Common Confusions with 烫
Both characters have the 火 radical, but different meanings.
Which one
Which one means “to scald”?
Usage Notes for 烫
Learners might confuse 烫 with 烤 due to their similar radicals. Remember that 烫 specifically involves scalding or burning with hot liquid, while 烤 refers to roasting or baking.
小心，不要烫到！
Be careful not to scald yourself!
我喜欢吃烤肉。
I like to eat roasted meat.
Get it right
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
小心，不要____到！
Be careful not to scald yourself!
Example Sentences for 烫 (10)
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Word Family of 烫
Words with 烫
What does 烫伤 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 烫
You can say '我把菜烫一下' (Wǒ bǎ cài tàng yīxià), which means 'I will blanch the vegetables.'
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