- 烧shāoto burn; to cook / heat / boil (food or liquid); (noun) feverHSK 5
- 切qiēto cut, to sliceHSK 5
- 炸zhàto deep fry (usually pronounced zhá); (colloquial) to blanch (a vegetable)HSK 6
- 烤kǎoto roast, to bake, to broilHSK 4
- 炒chǎoto stir-fry; to sauté; to speculate (in stocks, etc.); to hype (up); to promote aggressivelyHSK 5
- 泡pào(noun) bubble, foam, blister; (verb) to soak, to steep, to infuse; (verb) to dawdle, to loiter; (slang) to pick up (someone)HSK 6
- 爆bàoto explode, to burst; to quick-fry, to quick-boilHSK 6
- 熟shú/shóu(of fruit) ripe; (of food) cooked, done; familiar, acquainted; skilled, experienced; (of sleep) deep, soundHSK 4
- 煮zhǔto boil, to cook (in boiling water)HSK 5
- 熬áoto simmer, to decoct (cooking over low heat); to endure, to go through (a difficult period or hardship)HSK 7-9
- 厨chú(bound morpheme) kitchen; cooking; cook (used in compounds)HSK 7-9
- 做饭zuò fànto cook; to prepare a mealHSK 1
- 做法zuò fǎmethod, way of doing something; recipe, cooking methodHSK 4
- 焦jiāoburnt, scorched, charred (resultative complement); worried, anxiousHSK 7-9
- 搅jiǎoto stir, to mix; to disturb, to annoyHSK 7-9
- 煎jiānto pan-fry; to sautéHSK 7-9
- 剥bāoto peel, to skin, to shellHSK 7-9
- 熏xūnto smoke, to fumigate (food, incense); (figurative) to influence or cultivate gradually, to edifyHSK 7-9
- 烤肉kǎo ròu(noun) barbecued/roasted meat; (v.o.) to barbecue/roast meatHSK 7-9
- 烧烤shāo kǎobarbecue (the food or the event)HSK 5
- 切开qiēto cut open, to slice openHSK 7-9
- 炖dùnto stewHSK 7-9
- 烹饪pēng rènto cook (as a culinary art); to prepare foodHSK 7-9
- 淋línto drench, to pour (a liquid) over; to strain, to drain (liquid from food, herbs, etc.)HSK 6
- 冷冻lěng dòngto freeze (food, etc.)HSK 7-9
- 开膛kāi tángto disembowel; to gut (an animal)HSK 7-9
- 榨zhàto press, to squeeze (juice, oil)HSK 7-9
- 调味tiáo wèito season, to flavor (food)HSK 7-9
- 料理liào lǐ(noun) cuisine; (verb) to handle, to manage, to take care of (including cooking)HSK 7-9
- 浸jìnto soak, to steep; to immerse (often figuratively)HSK 7-9
- 沸腾fèi téng(of a liquid) to boil; (of emotions, atmosphere) to become excited; to erupt; to boil overHSK 7-9
- 炸鸡zhà jīto fry chickenHSK 7-9
- 糊húto paste, to glue; (resultative complement) to become burnt or scorched (food); (resultative complement) to become blurred or muddledHSK 7-9
- 搅和jiǎo huoto mix, to blend (physical things, especially in cooking); to mess up, to spoil, to interfere (figuratively, causing confusion)HSK 7-9
- 酿酒niàng jiǔto brew (alcoholic beverages); to make wine/beer/liquorHSK 7-9
- 拌bànto mix (ingredients); to toss (a salad)HSK 7-9
- 剁duòto chop, to cut (with a knife or cleaver)HSK 7-9
- 盛chéngto ladle, to fill (a bowl/plate) with food or liquidHSK 6
- 出炉chū lúto come out of a kiln or oven (literally); (figurative) to be released; to be unveiled (of new products, reports, etc.)HSK 7-9
- 捣dǎoto thresh or hull (grain); to pound or beat; to harass or cause troubleHSK 7-9
- 烘hōngto bake (using indirect heat); to dry by heat; to set off (by contrast)HSK 7-9
- 蒸zhēngto steam (food); to evaporate (technical)HSK 7-9
- 涮shuànto cook (thinly sliced ingredients) briefly in boiling water or soup, as in hot pot; to rinse; to trick, to foolHSK 7-9
- 蘸zhànto dip (in ink, sauce, etc.)HSK 7-9
- 酿niànto brew, to ferment (wine, vinegar, beer, etc.); to lead to, to result in (esp. a bad outcome)HSK 7-9
- 淘táoto wash or rinse (rice, grain) by agitating in water; to pan for (gold, minerals); to eliminate (through selection or screening)HSK 7-9
- 配料pèi liào(v.o.) to proportion or mix ingredients according to a recipe or formula; (n.) ingredients, components (for cooking or manufacturing)HSK 7-9
- 煮饭zhǔ fànto cook rice; to cook a meal (general)HSK 7-9
- 炸鱼zhá yúdeep-fried fishHSK 7-9
- 烹调pēng tiáoto cook (formal, esp. in culinary contexts)HSK 7-9
- 下厨xià chúto cook (a meal, by oneself), to go into the kitchen and prepare foodHSK 7-9
- 做菜zuò càito cook (dishes), to prepare foodHSK 7-9
- 烘烤hōng kǎoto bake (with dry heat, e.g. in an oven); to toast (bread, coffee beans, etc.)HSK 7-9
- 调配tiáo pèito mix, to blend (ingredients, colors, chemicals, etc.)HSK 7-9
- 火候huǒ hou(cooking) heat control; the degree and duration of heat when cooking; (figurative) mastery; a person's level of skill or control in an art or craft; (figurative) the right moment; a crucial or opportune timeHSK 7-9
- 炙zhì(verb bound form) to roast, to broil; (noun bound form) roasted meatHSK 7-9
- 烙làoto brand (a mark on skin or surface); to iron (clothes, with 烙铁); to bake (on a flat pan, e.g. 烙饼)HSK 7-9
- 煲bāo(noun) a pot or saucepan, especially a clay pot for slow-cooking; (verb) to cook slowly over a low flame, to simmerHSK 7-9
- 筛shāito sift, to sieve; to screen, to filter (e.g., resumes); to warm (rice wine) by heating; also to pour (wine or tea)HSK 7-9
- 舀yǎoto scoop up; to ladle (using a spoon, ladle, or similar tool)HSK 7-9