烫 (tàng) — (adjective) scalding hot, burning to the touch; (verb) to scald, to burn (with hot liquid/object); (verb) to perm (hair); also to iron (clothes)
Definition
烫 (tàng) is scalding-hot to the touch or to scald with a hot liquid — about physical burn, not flavor. Unlike 辣 (spicy heat in food) or 烧 (to cook/burn with fire), 烫 specifically means dangerous contact heat.
adjective
scalding hotburning to the touch
verb
to scaldto burn (with hot liquid/object)to perm (hair)also to iron (clothes)
Examples
- 烫，。Zhè bēi shuǐ tài tàng le, děng yí huì r zài hē.This glass of water is too hot; wait a bit before drinking.
- ，烫。Nǐ xiǎo xīn diǎn, bié ràng yóu tàng dào gē bo.Be careful, don't let the oil scald your arm.
- 烫。Tā xiǎng míng tiān qù lǐ fà diàn tàng yí xià tóu fa.She wants to go to the salon tomorrow to get her hair permed.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 燙; 烫 is its simplified writing.
Sound part声符shēngfú
湯
湯tāng燙tàng
Same sound today
In the traditional form 燙, 火 (fire) is paired with 湯 (tāng) for the sound.
Appears in
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