蒸 (zhēng) - To steam & to evaporate

蒸Tone 1

zhēng ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

丈志

蒸 · zhēng

To steam;

to evaporate;

to rise as steam;

pertaining to steam or vaporization.

To steamto evaporateto rise as steam

Usage highlights

SteamSteamed bunSteamed riceEvaporationSteamerSteaming hot

Synonyms

  • 煮— to boil (different cooking method)
  • 炖— to stew/simmer

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Steamed buns(蒸包子)
  • Steamed fish(蒸鱼)
  • Water evaporates in the sun(水在阳光下蒸发了)
  • Steam engine(蒸汽机)

Collocations

  • Steam(蒸汽)
  • Steamed bun(蒸馒头)
  • Steamed rice(蒸饭)
  • Evaporation(蒸发)
  • Steamer(蒸笼)
  • Steaming hot(蒸蒸日上)

Idioms

  • Flourishing and prosperous(蒸蒸日上)
  • Clouds rising and mist steaming(云蒸霞蔚)
  • Steam and mist gathering(雾集云蒸)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese cuisine, steaming is one of the fundamental cooking methods, valued for preserving nutrients and natural flavors.
  • The character appears in the idiom 蒸蒸日上, which uses the imagery of steam rising to describe continuous improvement and prosperity.
  • Historically associated with transformation processes like evaporation and distillation in alchemical and industrial contexts.

FAQ