Chinese Character: 锅
1. Character Basics
Radical: 钅/jīn (metal), 呙/wāi (deformed)
Stroke Count: 12 strokes
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: Guō (First tone)
3. Meaning
Basic Meaning: Pot; pan; wok
Extended Meaning: Cooking vessel; cauldron; boiler
Additional Meaning: Used metaphorically in some idioms; also refers to certain machine parts shaped like a pot
4. Common Words
- 铁锅 (tiě guō): Iron pot; wok
Example: 妈妈用铁锅炒菜。(Mā ma yòng tiě guō chǎo cài.) - Mom cooks vegetables with an iron wok. - 砂锅 (shā guō): Clay pot; casserole
Example: 这个砂锅可以用来炖鸡汤。(Zhè ge shā guō kě yǐ yòng lái dùn jī tāng.) - This clay pot can be used to simmer chicken soup. - 火锅 (huǒ guō): Hot pot
Example: 冬天我们喜欢吃火锅。(Dōng tiān wǒ men xǐ huan chī huǒ guō.) - We like to eat hot pot in winter. - 锅铲 (guō chǎn): Cooking shovel; spatula
Example: 请把锅铲递给我。(Qǐng bǎ guō chǎn dì gěi wǒ.) - Please pass me the spatula. - 锅盖 (guō gài): Pot lid
Example: 煮米饭时别忘了盖锅盖。(Zhǔ mǐ fàn shí bié wàng le gài guō gài.) - Don't forget to put the lid on when cooking rice.
5. Grammar & Usage
Noun Usage:
- Most commonly used as a noun referring to various types of cooking vessels
- Often used with classifiers like "个" (gè) or "口" (kǒu)
- Can be combined with other characters to form compound nouns related to cooking
Common Structures:
- 材质 + 锅: 铁锅 (iron pot), 铝锅 (aluminum pot)
- 用途 + 锅: 炒锅 (frying pan), 煮锅 (boiling pot)
- 锅 + 配件: 锅盖 (pot lid), 锅柄 (pot handle)
Collocations:
- 与烹饪方法组合: 煮锅 (boiling pot), 煎锅 (frying pan)
- 与食物名称组合: 汤锅 (soup pot), 粥锅 (porridge pot)
6. Cultural Background
The character "锅" has significant cultural meanings in Chinese society:
- The Chinese wok (炒锅) is one of the most important cooking utensils in Chinese cuisine with a history of thousands of years
- Hot pot (火锅) is not just a dish but also a social activity where people gather around a pot to cook and eat together
- Traditional Chinese medicine often uses clay pots (砂锅) to decoct herbal medicines
- There are many Chinese idioms involving "锅", such as 背黑锅 (bēi hēi guō) meaning "to take the blame for others" or 砸锅卖铁 (zá guō mài tiě) meaning "to sell everything one has"
- In Chinese culture, the kitchen and cooking are central to family life, and the "锅" symbolizes nourishment and sustenance
7. Example Sentence
Example 1:
我需要买一个新锅来做饭。
(Wǒ xū yào mǎi yī gè xīn guō lái zuò fàn.)
I need to buy a new pot to cook with.
Example 2:
这个火锅的味道真好。
(Zhè ge huǒ guō de wèi dào zhēn hǎo.)
This hot pot tastes really good.
Example 3:
锅开了，我们可以下饺子了。
(Guō kāi le, wǒ men kě yǐ xià jiǎo zǐ le.)
The water in the pot is boiling, we can put dumplings in now.
8. Memory Tips
Here are some tips to help you remember the character "锅":
- Component Breakdown: 钅 (metal) + 呙 (deformed) = 锅 (pot). Imagine a metal cooking vessel with a slightly curved shape
- Image Association: Picture a round cooking pot, and remember that "锅" represents this common kitchen utensil
- Sound Association: The pronunciation "guō" rhymes with the English word "go", but with a rising tone
- Writing Practice: Focus on the structure - the left side is 钅 (jīn), and the right side is 呙 (wāi)
- Usage Note: Remember that "锅" is commonly used to refer to various types of cooking pots and pans in Chinese