熬 (áo) — to simmer, to decoct (cooking over low heat); to endure, to go through (a difficult period or hardship)
Definition
熬 (áo) has two distinct senses: to simmer or decoct slowly over low heat (cooking, herbal medicine), and to endure hardship over time. For the cooking sense, it pairs with 煲 (clay-pot slow-cooking); for enduring, it's harsher and longer-term than 经历.
verb
to simmerto decoct (cooking over low heat)to endureto go through (a difficult period or hardship)
Easily confused
Examples
- 熬。Mā ma zhèng zài yòng xiǎo huǒ áo tāng.Mom is simmering the soup over low heat.
- 熬。Tā áo le sān nián cái bì yè.He endured three years before finally graduating.
- 熬。Zhè wǎn zhōng yào xū yào áo bàn xiǎo shí.This bowl of Chinese medicine needs to be decocted for half an hour.
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