加热

• Pinyin: jiā rè
• Hanzi breakdown: 加 = 力 (strength) + 口 (mouth), meaning to add; 热 = 執 (simplified) + 灬 (fire), meaning heat

Meaning

To heat; to warm up. The process of increasing temperature.

Used in cooking, science, and everyday contexts. Common with microwaves, stoves, and heating equipment. The opposite is 冷却 (to cool down). Often combined with time or degree indicators.

Examples

1. 把这碗汤放进微波炉加热两分钟就可以吃了。 Put this bowl of soup in the microwave and heat it for two minutes, then you can eat it.
2. 实验需要把溶液加热到八十度才能观察到反应。 The experiment requires heating the solution to 80 degrees to observe the reaction.
3. 天气冷了，记得把饭菜加热一下再吃。 The weather is cold; remember to heat up the food before eating.

Usage Guide

Context: cooking, science, daily life

Tone: practical

Do Say

• 请帮我加热一下这杯牛奶。(Please help me heat up this glass of milk.)
• 食物加热后要小心烫嘴。(Be careful of burning your mouth after heating the food.)

Don't Say

• 加热这个房间 (For heating rooms, use 给...加温 or 开暖气 — 加热 is typically for objects)

Origin & History

Compound of 加 (to add, increase) + 热 (heat), meaning to add heat or raise temperature.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal