竃 (zào) - Kitchen stove & furnace

竃Tone 4

zào ｜ 17 strokes ｜ radical:

悦丈

竃 · zào

Kitchen stove;

furnace;

cooking range;

hearth.

Kitchen stovefurnacecooking range

Usage highlights

Kitchen stoveEarthen stoveStove godStove fireStove roomStove door

Synonyms

  • 灶— stove; kitchen range (simplified variant)
  • 炉— furnace; stove

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The kitchen stove needs cleaning (竃台需要清洁).
  • They built a new furnace (他们建了一个新竃).
  • Traditional cooking uses earthen stoves (传统烹饪使用土竃).
  • The hearth is the center of the home (竃是家庭的中心).

Collocations

  • Kitchen stove(竃台)
  • Earthen stove(土竃)
  • Stove god(竃神)
  • Stove fire(竃火)
  • Stove room(竃房)
  • Stove door(竃门)

Idioms

  • The Kitchen God reports to heaven(竃神上天)
  • Renovate the kitchen and stove(改竃换台)
  • The Kitchen God's Day(竃神节)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character 竃 represents the traditional Chinese kitchen stove, which was central to family life and cooking.
  • In Chinese folk religion, the Kitchen God (竃神) is believed to report each family's behavior to the Jade Emperor annually.
  • The kitchen stove was historically considered the heart of the home, symbolizing warmth, nourishment, and family unity.

FAQ