酷热 (kù rè) — extremely hot; scorching (of weather) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Formal/literary word for 'scorching heat' — stronger than 热 (hot) and used in writing rather than casual speech.

extremely hotscorching (of weather)

Examples

酷热，。
Jīn tiān kù rè nán nài, zuì hǎo bié chū mén.
Today is unbearably hot; better not go out.
酷热，。
kù rè De xià tiān lǐ, dà jiā dōu xǐ huan dài zài kōng tiáo fáng.
In the scorching summer, everyone likes to stay in air-conditioned rooms.
酷热。
Gōng rén men zài kù rè zhōng jiān chí gōng zuò.
The workers keep working in the extreme heat.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

酷kùsevere

酷 severe and 热 hot together describe scorching weather.

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.

酉告酷

Meaning part形符xíngfú

酉酉yǒualcoholic drink vessel

Sound part声符shēngfú

告

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

酷 pairs 酉, an alcoholic drink vessel, with 告, which gives the sound.

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.

埶灬熱

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.

Appears in

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