Definition
熬 (áo) means to simmer/decoct (cooking) or to endure hardship. For cooking, 煲 (bāo) also means to simmer slowly but specifically refers to cooking in a pot (often clay); 熬 is more general. For enduring, 煎熬 (jiān áo) is a stronger, more emotional word for mental torment, while 熬 alone covers any difficult period.
verb
to simmerto decoct (cooking over low heat)to endureto go through (a difficult period or hardship)
Easily confused
- 傲àolook-alikeproud; arrogant
- 凹āosound-alikeconcave, sunken, indented
Examples
- 熬。Māma zhèngzài yòng xiǎohuǒ áo tāng.Mom is simmering the soup over low heat.
- 熬。Tā áo le sān nián cái bìyè.He endured three years before finally graduating.
- 熬。Zhè wǎn zhōngyào xūyào áo bàn xiǎoshí.This bowl of Chinese medicine needs to be decocted for half an hour.
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