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煮沸 (zhǔ fèi) — to bring to a boil, to boil thoroughly

Definition

A verb meaning 'bring fully to a rolling boil' — emphasizes reaching a vigorous, complete boil (often water for safety), more intense than simply 开 (boiling) or 烧开 (heating to boiling).

verb
to bring to a boilto boil thoroughly

Examples

  • 煮沸。
    Qǐng jiāng shuǐ zhǔ fèi.
    Please bring the water to a boil.
  • 煮沸，。
    zhǔ fèi Hòu guān huǒ, zài mèn shí fēn zhōng.
    After bringing it to a boil, turn off the heat and let it simmer for ten minutes.
  • 煮沸。
    Zhè zhǒng niú nǎi xū yào xiān zhǔ fèi cái néng hē.
    This type of milk needs to be boiled first before drinking.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

煮zhǔcook/boil
沸fèiboiling

煮 is the cooking and 沸 is the boiling state reached.

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.

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

煮 pairs 者, which gives the sound, with 灬, a form of 火 (fire), to show cooking over a fire.

Open 煮 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
弗
弗fú沸fèi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

沸 pairs 氵, the water part, with 弗, which gives it its sound.

Open 沸 →
Appears in
Cooking

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