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March 24, 2026
炸zhá(zha2)
The character 炸 (zhá) primarily means 'to deep fry' or 'to explode.' In culinary contexts, it refers to the method of cooking food by submerging it in hot oil, resulting in a crispy texture. In a broader sense, it can also describe an explosive event, emphasizing suddenness or intensity.
Strokes9Radical火Frequency#1619DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
炸 is commonly associated with traditional Chinese street food, such as 炸春卷 (zhá chūn juǎn - fried spring rolls) and 炸臭豆腐 (zhá chòu dòu fu - fried stinky tofu), which are popular snacks enjoyed by many.
Memory Tip
Imagine a chef named 'Zha' who loves to deep fry his favorite dish in a big pot of bubbling oil. As he drops the food in, it 'zha's (炸) with a loud sizzling noise, just like the sound of an explosion. The character has the fire radical 火, highlighting the heat involved in frying.
Meanings of 炸
zhá(zha2)
primary
1to deep fry
2to explode
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 炸
炸Simplified
9Strokes
火Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#1619Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L5IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRC1
Podcast: 炸
Podcast: 炸
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AI Study Notes for 炸
Quick Contrast
炸 (zhá, to deep fry/explode) vs 煎 (jiān, to pan-fry) — use 炸 when referring to deep frying or an explosion, not when cooking with less oil.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a chef named 'Zha' who loves to deep fry his favorite dish in a big pot of bubbling oil. As he drops the food in, it 'zha's (炸) with a loud sizzling noise, just like the sound of an explosion. The character has the fire radical 火, highlighting the heat involved in frying.
Usage Notes
When using 炸, be mindful of its context; it is typically used in cooking or describing explosions. Common collocations include 炸鸡 (zhá jī - fried chicken) and 炸弹 (zhà dàn - bomb). Learners often confuse it with 煎 (jiān - to pan-fry), so pay attention to the differences in cooking methods.
HSK Study Tips
Although 炸 is not an HSK word, it connects with other cooking-related terms like 煮 (zhǔ - to boil) and 烤 (kǎo - to bake). Focus on the cooking verbs to build a practical vocabulary for food-related conversations.
Cultural Note
炸 is commonly associated with traditional Chinese street food, such as 炸春卷 (zhá chūn juǎn - fried spring rolls) and 炸臭豆腐 (zhá chòu dòu fu - fried stinky tofu), which are popular snacks enjoyed by many.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 炸 with 烧 (shāo - to cook or burn), leading to incorrect sentences like '我想烧鸡' instead of '我想炸鸡' (I want fried chicken). Ensure you use 炸 when referring to deep frying specifically.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 炸
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Grammar Patterns of 炸
炸 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
在我生长的伦敦，四周全是轰____后的断壁残垣。
In London, where I grew up, we were surrounded by bomb sites.
Common Confusions with 炸
炸vs煮
zhǔ
Both are cooking methods but differ in technique.
Exercise 1 of 1
Spot the Difference
Which character means "to deep fry"?
or
Example Sentences for 炸 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
在我生长的伦敦，四周全是轰炸后的断壁残垣。
zài wǒ shēng cháng de lún dūn， ， sì zhōu quán shì hōng zhà hòu de duàn bì cán。
In London, where I grew up, we were surrounded by bomb sites.
It is important that food be breaded just minutes before frying.
5
城市的一整片贫民区被炸为了平地。
chéng shì de yī zhěng piàn pín mín qū bèi zhà wéi le píng dì。
An entire poor section of town was bombed into oblivion.
6
他两条腿都挂彩了，人也被如雨的弹片炸成重伤。
tā liǎng tiáo tuǐ dū guà cǎi le， ， rén yě bèi rú yǔ de dàn piàn zhà chéng zhòng。
He was wounded in both legs and severely peppered with shrapnel.
7
俄国人必须俯冲轰炸那些城市才能重新获得控制权。
é guó rén bì xū fǔ chōng hōng zhà nà xiē chéng shì cái néng zhòng xīn huò dé kòng zhì quán。
The Russians had to dive-bomb the cities to regain control.
8
他们正好踩上了饵雷，结果被炸得粉身碎骨。
tā mén zhèng hǎo cǎi shàng le ěr léi， ， jié guǒ bèi zhà dé fěn shēn suì。
They walked right into a booby-trap and got blown to smithereens.
9
为了尽量减低附带性破坏，轰炸须做到最大程度的精确。
wéi le jìn liáng jiǎn dī fù dài xìng pò huài， ， hōng zhà xū zuò dào zuì dà chéng dù de jīng。
To minimize collateral damage maximum precision in bombing was required.
10
另点的一份炸薯条
lìng diǎn de yī fèn zhà shǔ tiáo
a side order of fries
Cultural Notes for 炸
🏮Cultural insight
炸 is commonly associated with traditional Chinese street food, such as 炸春卷 (zhá chūn juǎn - fried spring rolls) and 炸臭豆腐 (zhá chòu dòu fu - fried stinky tofu), which are popular snacks enjoyed by many.
Word Family of 炸
Words Containing This Character20
爆炸bàozhàexplosion
炸弹zhàdànbomb炸彈
炸zháto explode
炸药zhàyàoexplosive (material)炸藥
轰炸hōngzhàto bomb轟炸
轰炸机bomber (aircraft)轟炸機
炸掉to bomb
炸毁to blow up炸燬
油炸yóuzháto deep fry
炸鸡fried chicken炸雞
爆炸物explosive (material)
炸死to kill with an explosion
定时炸弹time bomb定時炸彈
爆炸性explosive
大爆炸Big Bang (cosmology)
炸鱼deep-fried fish炸魚
狂轰滥炸to bomb indiscriminately狂轟濫炸
核爆炸nuclear explosion
炸薯条french fries炸薯條
炸酱面zha jiang mian: ground pork simmered with salty fermented soybean paste (or other sauce) over thick wheat noodles炸醬麵
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 爆炸 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 炸
炸 (zhá) refers specifically to deep frying, where food is submerged in hot oil, while 煎 (jiān) means to pan-fry, where food is cooked in a small amount of oil over heat. Both methods create different textures and flavors in food, with 炸 typically resulting in a crispier exterior.
Yes, aside from cooking, 炸 (zhá) can mean 'to explode' in contexts involving bursts or detonations. For example, you might hear it in discussions about fireworks or other explosive devices, highlighting its versatility in the Chinese language.
炸 (zhá) primarily means 'to deep fry' or 'to explode.' In cooking, it refers to the method of frying food in hot oil, resulting in a crispy texture. Additionally, it can describe something that bursts or explodes, such as a firecracker.
To use 炸 (zhá) in a sentence, you might say '我在家里炸鸡翅' (Wǒ zài jiālǐ zhà jīchì), meaning 'I am deep frying chicken wings at home.' It can also be used in contexts discussing explosions, like '炸弹爆炸了' (Zhàdàn bàozhàle), meaning 'The bomb exploded.'
炸 refers to deep frying in oil, while 煎 means pan-frying with less oil.
Yes, it can describe something that explodes, like a bomb.
You can use it to describe the method of cooking, for example, '我喜欢炸鱼' (I like to deep fry fish).
