煮水 (zhǔshuǐ) refers to the process of boiling water, commonly used in cooking or preparing beverages like tea. It can signify both the action of boiling water and the noun form for boiled water, and it is a fundamental term in kitchens across Chinese-speaking regions.
HSK 2, 16 strokes, Hard
zhǔshuǐ(zhu3shui3) T3
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
May 27, 2026
煮水zhǔshuǐ(zhu3shui3)
煮水 (zhǔshuǐ) refers to the process of boiling water, commonly used in cooking or preparing beverages like tea. It can signify both the action of boiling water and the noun form for boiled water, and it is a fundamental term in kitchens across Chinese-speaking regions.
Strokes16Frequency#—DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, boiling water is not only essential for cooking but is also a common practice for making tea, reflecting the significance of tea in daily life and social gatherings.
Memory Tip
Imagine a chef named Zhu (煮) who always wears a big blue hat (水 means water) while boiling water in a pot. When you think of Zhu boiling water, you can remember that 'zhǔ' sounds like 'zoo', where you might see a playful elephant splashing in a boiling pot!
About 煮水
煮水Simplified
16Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L2ElementaryHSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 煮水
Podcast: 煮水
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 煮水
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a chef named Zhu (煮) who always wears a big blue hat (水 means water) while boiling water in a pot. When you think of Zhu boiling water, you can remember that 'zhǔ' sounds like 'zoo', where you might see a playful elephant splashing in a boiling pot!
Usage Notes
Be careful with the tones: '煮' (zhǔ) means to boil, while '住' (zhù) means to live or stay, which can lead to confusion. This term is typically used in informal contexts, but it’s also understood in cooking classes and recipes, making it crucial for culinary vocabulary.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK 2 learner, focus on using 煮水 in practical sentences, such as in cooking instructions. It connects to other cooking-related words like '饭 (fàn)' for rice and '菜 (cài)' for vegetables, enhancing your kitchen vocabulary.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, boiling water is not only essential for cooking but is also a common practice for making tea, reflecting the significance of tea in daily life and social gatherings.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 煮 (zhǔ) with 住 (zhù), leading to phrases like '住水' which is incorrect. The correct usage is always 煮水 when referring to boiling water.
AI-enhanced 2026-05-27
Pronunciation of 煮水
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 煮水 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 煮水 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Cultural Notes for 煮水
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, boiling water is not only essential for cooking but is also a common practice for making tea, reflecting the significance of tea in daily life and social gatherings.
Frequently Asked Questions about 煮水
煮水 means to boil water, often used in cooking or preparing drinks.
You can say, '我在煮水' (wǒ zài zhǔ shuǐ), which means 'I am boiling water.'
It's mostly used informally, especially in kitchens or cooking discussions.
