汤

• Pinyin: tāng
• Hanzi breakdown: 汤 = 氵 (water) + 昜 (sun rising, phonetic), simplified from 湯

Meaning

Soup; broth. A liquid food made by boiling ingredients in water.

Soup is central to Chinese cuisine. Many meals include a soup course. Common types include 鸡汤 (chicken soup), 蛋花汤 (egg drop soup), 排骨汤 (pork rib soup). In Southern Chinese cuisine, soup is considered essential. Note: 喝汤 (drink soup) uses 喝, not 吃.

Examples

1. 妈妈煮了一锅鸡汤。 Mum made a pot of chicken soup.
2. 天冷的时候喝一碗热汤很舒服。 Drinking a bowl of hot soup when it is cold is very comforting.
3. 这家餐厅的西红柿蛋汤特别好喝。 The tomato and egg soup at this restaurant is especially delicious.

Usage Guide

Context: food, cooking, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你想喝什么汤？(What soup would you like?)
• 这个汤味道很鲜。(This soup tastes very fresh and flavourful.)

Don't Say

• 我要吃一碗汤。(Don't use 吃 with 汤 — use 喝 (to drink) instead. In Chinese, soup is 'drunk', not 'eaten'.)

Origin & History

An ancient character originally meaning 'hot water'. The radical 氵 (water) with phonetic 昜 reflects its liquid nature.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal