(shāo) - To burn & to heat

Tone 1

shāo | 16 strokes | radical:

· shāo

To burn;

to heat;

to cook;

to roast;

to bake;

to stew;

to boil;

to have a fever;

to be inflamed;

to be passionate about something.

To burnto heatto cook

Usage highlights

To burnTo have a feverTo cook foodTo fire potteryTo burn incenseTo burn money

Synonyms

  • to burn, to ignite
  • to burn, to set on fire
  • to boil, to cook

Antonyms

  • to extinguish, to put out
  • to extinguish, to go out
  • cold (opposite of heat/fever)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The house caught fire and burned down (房子烧了).
  • She has a high fever (她发高烧).
  • He is cooking rice (他在烧饭).
  • They are passionate about photography (他们对摄影很发烧).
  • The pottery needs to be fired in a kiln (陶器需要在窑里烧制).

Collocations

  • To burn(燃烧)
  • To have a fever(发烧)
  • To cook food(烧菜)
  • To fire pottery(烧制)
  • To burn incense(烧香)
  • To burn money(烧钱)

Idioms

  • To burn the boats and sink the cauldrons(破釜沉舟)
  • To burn jade and stone together(玉石俱焚)
  • To burn bridges behind one(过河拆桥)
  • To burn the midnight oil(挑灯夜战)
  • To burn with impatience(心急如焚)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Associated with traditional practices like burning incense for worship and ancestor veneration.
  • In Chinese medicine, 'fire' and 'burning' relate to internal heat and fever conditions.
  • Cooking methods involving fire (烧) are fundamental in Chinese culinary traditions.

FAQ