炖 (dùn) - To stew & to braise

炖Tone 4

dùn ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 火

丁恩

炖 · dùn

To stew;

to braise;

to simmer slowly in liquid;

a cooking method where food is cooked gently in a covered pot.

To stewto braiseto simmer slowly in liquid

Usage highlights

Stewed beefStewed chickenStewed soupStewed pork ribsStewed eggsSlow stewing

Synonyms

  • 煨— to simmer over slow fire
  • 焖— to braise in covered pot
  • 熬— to decoct; to boil slowly

Antonyms

  • 炒— to stir-fry (quick cooking vs slow stewing)
  • 炸— to deep-fry (dry heat vs moist heat)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • I'm stewing beef (炖牛肉).
  • She likes to drink stewed soup (炖汤).
  • This chicken is braised (炖鸡).
  • He is stewing pears with rock sugar (炖冰糖雪梨).

Collocations

  • Stewed beef(炖牛肉)
  • Stewed chicken(炖鸡)
  • Stewed soup(炖汤)
  • Stewed pork ribs(炖排骨)
  • Stewed eggs(炖蛋)
  • Slow stewing(慢炖)

Idioms

  • Stew it slowly over a low fire(文火慢炖)
  • Stewed, boiled, fried, and stir-fried(炖煮煎炒)
  • Nourishing stew(滋补炖品)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Dun represents a fundamental Chinese cooking technique emphasizing slow cooking to extract flavors and nutrients.
  • Associated with medicinal food traditions where ingredients are stewed for hours to create nourishing tonics.
  • Reflects the Chinese culinary philosophy of balancing flavors and textures through controlled heat application.

FAQ