Chinese Character: 烘
1. Character Basics
Radical: 火/huǒ (fire/flame) + 共/gòng (together)
Stroke Count: 10 strokes
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: Hōng (First tone)
3. Meaning
Basic Meaning: Roast; bake; dry by fire; warm by fire
Extended Meanings: Heat; warm up; air dry; toast; brown
Additional Notes: "烘" is often associated with the action of applying heat to dry, cook, or warm something, and is commonly used in cooking and household contexts.
4. Common Words
- 烘焙 (hōng bèi) - Bake; roast
Example: 她喜欢烘焙面包。(She likes to bake bread.) - 烘干 (hōng gān) - Dry by heating; dehydrate
Example: 洗衣机可以烘干衣服。(The washing machine can dry clothes.) - 烘手 (hōng shǒu) - Warm one's hands
Example: 他在火炉旁烘手。(He is warming his hands by the fire.) - 烘烤 (hōng kǎo) - Roast; bake
Example: 烘烤的食物很香。(Roasted food smells delicious.) - 烘炉 (hōng lú) - Oven; drying stove
Example: 把蛋糕放进烘炉里。(Put the cake into the oven.)
5. Grammar & Usage
Part of Speech: Verb
Usage:
- Transitive verb: Requires an object, meaning to apply heat to something
- Intransitive verb: Sometimes used without an object, describing the action of heating or warming
Common Structures:
- 烘 + 名词: 烘面包 (bake bread), 烘衣服 (dry clothes)
- 烘 + 补语: 烘得很热 (very hot from heating), 烘不干 (can't dry)
- 形容词/副词 + 烘: 慢烘 (slow baking), 热风烘 (hot air drying)
Notes: "烘" is often used in cooking, cleaning, and daily life contexts. It emphasizes a gentle or gradual heating process.
6. Cultural Background
The character "烘" has interesting cultural significance:
- Culinary Culture: In Chinese cuisine, "烘" plays an important role in various cooking methods, especially in baking traditional pastries and desserts.
- Seasonal Customs: During winter, people often gather around fires to "烘手" (warm hands), which is a common social activity in some regions.
- Traditional Crafts: In traditional Chinese craftsmanship, techniques like pottery and paper making often involve "烘" processes for drying materials.
- Literary Symbolism: In literature, "烘" is sometimes used metaphorically to describe warmth, care, or nurturing.
- Modern Usage: With the popularity of baking and western cuisine in China, "烘焙" has become a popular hobby and industry.
7. Example Sentence
Example 1:
中文字：妈妈在烤箱里烘饼干。
Pinyin：Mā ma zài kǎo xiāng lǐ hōng bǐng gān.
English：Mom is baking cookies in the oven.
Example 2:
中文字：太阳把湿衣服烘得很干。
Pinyin：Tài yáng bǎ shī yī fu hōng de hěn gān.
English：The sun dried the wet clothes very well.
Example 3:
中文字：冬天，我们喜欢围在火炉旁烘火取暖。
Pinyin：Dōng tiān, wǒ men xǐ huan wéi zài huǒ lú páng hōng huǒ qǔ nuǎn.
English：In winter, we like to gather around the stove to warm ourselves.
8. Memory Tips
Memory Techniques:
- Structure Memory: The character consists of 火 (huǒ, fire/flame) and 共 (gòng, together), suggesting the action of applying fire to something.
- Image Association: Imagine a baker putting bread in an oven - this connects to the meaning of "bake" or "roast".
- Sound Association: The pronunciation "hōng" sounds similar to the sound of a fire burning or an oven working.
- Stroke Order Practice: Practice writing the character following the correct stroke order (10 strokes total). This will help with muscle memory.
- Contextual Use: Use the character in sentences related to cooking, drying, or warming to reinforce its meaning and usage.