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热乎乎 (rè hū hū) — warm, piping hot (especially of food or objects); (fig.) feeling warm-hearted, touched

Definition

A vivid, colloquial adjective for 'piping hot' food or objects (often written 热乎乎 vs spoken 热呼呼). Also used figuratively for a warm-hearted, touched feeling.

adjective
warmpiping hot (especially of food or objects)(fig.) feeling warm-heartedtouched

Examples

  • 热乎乎，。
    Zhè wǎn tāng hái shì rè hū hū de, nǐ kuài hē ba.
    This bowl of soup is still piping hot — drink it quick.
  • ，热乎乎。
    Tīng wán tā de huà, wǒ xīn lǐ rè hū hū de.
    After hearing his words, I felt warm inside.
  • 热乎乎，。
    Gāng chū guō de bāo zi rè hū hū de, hěn hǎo chī.
    The just-out-of-the-steamer buns are piping hot and very tasty.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

热rèhot
乎乎
乎hū乎hū
重叠Reduplication

热 supplies the warmth, while 乎乎 repeats to make the state vivid and lively.

Characters in this word

Most 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 熱; 热 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
灬Written in full as火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
埶
埶yì熱rè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 熱 pairs 埶 with 火 (written as 灬) to show heat, while 埶 gives a sound.

Open 热 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 丂丂kǎobranch

The old 乎 paired an element for wind or air with 丂, a branch used as a sound part, and was the original form of the word for 'to call; to cry'.

Open 乎 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 丂丂kǎobranch

The old 乎 paired an element for wind or air with 丂, a branch used as a sound part, and was the original form of the word for 'to call; to cry'.

Open 乎 →
Appears in
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