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锅 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
锅
guō
pot
HSK 5, n, 12 strokes, radical 钅, rank #5210, Hard
锅
guō
pan
HSK 5, n, 12 strokes, radical 钅, rank #5210, Hard
锅
guō
boiler
HSK 5, n, 12 strokes, radical 钅, rank #5210, Hard
锅
guō
cooking-pot, saucepan
HSK 5, n, 12 strokes, radical 钅, rank #5210, Hard
guō(guo1)guo T1
1pot
2pan
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March 24, 2026
锅(鍋)guō(guo1)
锅 (guō) refers to a pot or pan used for cooking. It can also denote a boiler in some contexts. Commonly used in kitchens, this term encompasses various types of cookware that involve heating food.
Strokes12Radical钅Frequency#5210DifficultyHard
Cultural note
In Chinese cuisine, the type of锅 used is essential, as different pots are designed for specific techniques, such as stir-frying or steaming, highlighting the importance of cookware in culinary traditions.
Memory tip
Imagine a large, round pot (锅) bubbling over a fire. The character has a radical resembling a 'fire' beneath the 'pot' shape, emphasizing its cooking purpose. Think of 'guō' sounding like 'go,' as in 'go cook something delicious in your pot!'
Meanings of 锅
guō(guo1)
1pot
2pan
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 锅 means.
About 锅
锅Simplified
鍋Traditional
12Strokes
钅Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#5210Frequency Rank
口Measure Word
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2
Podcast: 锅
Podcast: 锅
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AI study notes for 锅
Quick Contrast
锅 (guō) vs 锅子 (guōzi) — use 锅 for a more formal or general term, while 锅子 is more colloquial and informal.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone; 'guō' is pronounced with the first tone, which can be confused with other similar-sounding words. It is often used in combination with other characters to specify types of pots, like '炒锅' (chǎoguō) for 'wok'.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 5 word, 锅 connects well with other cooking-related vocabulary like '饭' (fàn, rice) and '菜' (cài, dish). Focus on collocations and common phrases to enhance your cooking vocabulary.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 锅 with other kitchenware terms, such as '碗' (wǎn, bowl). For example, saying '我用碗煮 soup' (I use a bowl to cook soup) is incorrect; it should be '我用锅煮 soup.'
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 锅
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How well do you know 锅?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 锅 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.
锅 = 钅 + 呙. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 锅
IDS Structure⿰钅呙
锅Full character
=
钅jin1
left
呙Guo1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 锅?
How to say pot in Chinese
“pot” in Chinese is锅guō
锅 (guō) refers to a pot or pan used for cooking. It can also denote a boiler in some contexts. Commonly used in kitchens, this term encompasses various types of cookware that involve heating food.
When to use 锅
Be cautious with the tone; 'guō' is pronounced with the first tone, which can be confused with other similar-sounding words. It is often used in combination with other characters to specify types of pots, like '炒锅' (chǎoguō) for 'wok'.
锅 or something close to it
锅 (guō) vs 锅子 (guōzi) — use 锅 for a more formal or general term, while 锅子 is more colloquial and informal.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 锅 with other kitchenware terms, such as '碗' (wǎn, bowl). For example, saying '我用碗煮 soup' (I use a bowl to cook soup) is incorrect; it should be '我用锅煮 soup.'
Write 锅
锅
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Practice writing 锅 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 锅
锅 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 4 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.
