壺 (hú) - Pot, kettle, jar, flask — a container, typically

壺Tone 2

hú ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

枫惠

壺 · hú

Pot, kettle, jar, flask — a container, typically with a handle and spout, used for holding liquids such as tea or wine.

Pot, kettle, jar, flask — a container, typically

Usage highlights

TeapotWine potKettlePot lidPot handlePot spout

Synonyms

  • 罐— jar, can, pot
  • 瓶— bottle, vase

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • She poured tea from the teapot (茶壶).
  • The antique wine jar (酒壶) was on display.
  • He carried a water flask (水壶) on his hike.
  • The kettle (壶) is boiling.

Collocations

  • Teapot(茶壶)
  • Wine pot(酒壶)
  • Kettle(水壶)
  • Pot lid(壶盖)
  • Pot handle(壶把)
  • Pot spout(壶嘴)

Idioms

  • A pot calling the kettle black(五十步笑百步)
  • A single reed can overturn a thousand-catty pot(一苇可翻千钧壶)
  • To have a potbelly(大腹便便)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • 壶 has been a common vessel in Chinese daily life and rituals for millennia, used for storing and serving tea, wine, and water.
  • It appears in ancient Chinese poetry and art, symbolizing hospitality and domestic life.
  • The shape of the character itself is a pictograph of a pot with a lid and a bulging body.

FAQ