HSK 7, v, 13 strokes, radical 灬, rank #5411, Very Hard
煎
jiān
to sauté
HSK 7, v, 13 strokes, radical 灬, rank #5411, Very Hard
煎
jiān
to fry in fat or oil; to boil in water
HSK 7, v, 13 strokes, radical 灬, rank #5411, Very Hard
jiān(jian1)jian T1
1to pan fry
2to sauté
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March 24, 2026
煎jiān(jian1)
The verb 煎 (jiān) refers to the cooking method of frying food in a small amount of fat or oil, often on a flat surface such as a pan. This technique is commonly used for preparing meats or vegetables to create a crispy texture while retaining moisture. It can also imply a method of cooking that involves shallow frying or sautéing.
Strokes13Radical灬Frequency#5411DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese cuisine, 煎 is a fundamental cooking technique, especially in breakfast dishes like 煎饼 (jiān bǐng, a type of savory pancake). It reflects the importance of texture and flavor in Chinese cooking.
Memory Tip
Imagine a 'pan' (the character's radical) where the food sizzles and 'jumps' as it cooks. The sound of 'jiān' rhymes with 'pan' in English, helping you remember it as the action of frying in a pan.
Meanings of 煎
jiān(jian1)
1to pan fry
2to sauté
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 煎 means.
About 煎
煎Simplified
13Strokes
灬Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#5411Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 煎
Podcast: 煎
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AI Study Notes for 煎
Quick Contrast
煮 (zhǔ) — use 煎 when the cooking method involves frying in oil, not boiling in water.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 煎 with 炒 (chǎo), which means to stir-fry. 煎 is typically used in more precise contexts involving less oil and lower heat than 炒. Use 煎 when discussing dishes like 煎蛋 (jiān dàn, fried egg) or 煎牛排 (jiān niúpái, pan-fried steak).
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK 6 word, 煎 connects with cooking-related vocabulary and techniques. Students should focus on its applications in recipes and dining contexts to enhance their culinary vocabulary in Mandarin.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use 煎 when they mean to say 炒. For example, saying '我想煎这些菜' (I want to fry these vegetables) should be corrected to '我想炒这些菜' to convey the correct cooking method.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 煎
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How Well Do You Know 煎?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 煎 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.
煎 = 灬 + 前. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 煎
IDS Structure⿱前灬
煎Full Character
=
前qian2
top
灬huo3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 煎?
How to say to pan fry in Chinese
“to pan fry” in Chinese is煎jiān
The verb 煎 (jiān) refers to the cooking method of frying food in a small amount of fat or oil, often on a flat surface such as a pan. This technique is commonly used for preparing meats or vegetables to create a crispy texture while retaining moisture. It can also imply a method of cooking that involves shallow frying or sautéing.
When to use 煎
Learners often confuse 煎 with 炒 (chǎo), which means to stir-fry. 煎 is typically used in more precise contexts involving less oil and lower heat than 炒. Use 煎 when discussing dishes like 煎蛋 (jiān dàn, fried egg) or 煎牛排 (jiān niúpái, pan-fried steak).
煎 or something close to it
煮 (zhǔ) — use 煎 when the cooking method involves frying in oil, not boiling in water.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly use 煎 when they mean to say 炒. For example, saying '我想煎这些菜' (I want to fry these vegetables) should be corrected to '我想炒这些菜' to convey the correct cooking method.
Write 煎
煎
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Practice writing 煎 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 煎
煎 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 3 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
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
这种稍加变化的可口____蛋卷做起来又快又容易。
This delicious variation on an omelette is quick and easy to prepare.
