镬 (huò) - Wok — a large, round-bottomed cooking pan used & historically also refers to a large cauldron used

镬Tone 4

huò ｜ 18 strokes ｜ radical:

慧佳

镬 · huò

Wok — a large, round-bottomed cooking pan used in Chinese cuisine;

historically also refers to a large cauldron used for boiling or punishment.

Wok — a large, round-bottomed cooking pan usedhistorically also refers to a large cauldron used

Usage highlights

Iron wokStirCooking wokPunishment cauldronBoiling cauldronWok lid

Synonyms

  • 锅— pot, pan (more general term)
  • 鼎— ancient cauldron, tripod

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Stir-fry vegetables in a wok (用镬炒菜).
  • The chef uses a cast iron wok (铁镬).
  • This is a traditional Chinese cooking vessel (中式烹饪镬).
  • Large cauldrons were used for punishment (刑镬).

Collocations

  • Iron wok(铁镬)
  • Stir-fry wok(炒镬)
  • Cooking wok(煮镬)
  • Punishment cauldron(刑镬)
  • Boiling cauldron(汤镬)
  • Wok lid(镬盖)

Idioms

  • To be in a desperate situation(鼎镬余生)
  • To face severe punishment(斧钺汤镬)
  • To be cooked in a cauldron(鼎镬如饴)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The wok is one of the most fundamental cooking utensils in Chinese culinary tradition.
  • Historically, large cauldrons (镬) were used for capital punishment during ancient times.
  • The character appears in idioms related to extreme danger or punishment.

FAQ