沸腾

• Pinyin: fèi téng
• Hanzi breakdown: 沸 = 氵+ 弗 (water radical + not/resist — turbulent boiling water); 腾 = 月 + 朕 (flesh/body + surge — to rise, leap, surge)

Meaning

To boil; to reach boiling point. Figuratively, to seethe with excitement, passion, or intense emotion; to be in a state of intense activity or fervour.

Literally refers to the physical state of a liquid reaching its boiling point. Figuratively describes a state of intense excitement, collective enthusiasm, or passionate activity. Common in scientific writing (literal) and literary or journalistic writing (figurative). Pairs with 热血、激情、现场 etc.

Examples

1. 实验室里的学生仔细观察着烧杯中的液体在持续加热过程中逐渐沸腾，记录下气泡产生的速率变化以及温度与沸点之间的精确对应关系。 In the lab, students carefully watched the liquid in the beaker gradually come to a boil as it was heated continuously, recording changes in the rate of bubble formation and the precise relationship between temperature and boiling point.
2. 当主队在比赛最后一分钟打入绝杀进球时，整个体育场内的气氛瞬间沸腾，数万名球迷同时爆发出震耳欲聋的欢呼声，将全场情绪推向了最高潮。 When the home team scored a last-second game-winner in the final minute, the atmosphere in the entire stadium instantly erupted. Tens of thousands of fans burst into deafening cheers, pushing the emotions of the crowd to their peak.
3. 历经十年磨砺，他终于站上世界冠军领奖台，看着国旗升起时，热泪夺眶而出，胸中也一片沸腾。 After ten years of hard training, he finally stood on the world champion’s podium. As he watched the national flag rise, tears welled up, and his heart surged with emotion.

Usage Guide

Context: science, sports, literature

Tone: vivid

Do Say

• 当改革开放的春风吹遍神州大地，无数创业者的热情被点燃，那个年代整个社会都充满了一种令人心潮澎湃的沸腾感，仿佛一切皆有可能。(When the spring breeze of reform and opening-up swept across the land, the passion of countless entrepreneurs was ignited; throughout that era, the whole of society was filled with an exhilarating sense of ferment, as if anything were possible.)
• 在标准大气压下，水到一百摄氏度就会沸腾；高原气压较低，沸点也会下降，所以烹饪时间往往更长。(Under standard atmospheric pressure, water boils at 100 degrees Celsius; at high altitudes, lower air pressure reduces the boiling point, so cooking often takes longer.)

Don't Say

• 沸腾 to describe mild excitement or a merely lively atmosphere — it implies an intense, overwhelming surge of energy; for an ordinarily lively scene, use 热闹 or 活跃

Origin & History

沸 (boiling, bubbling) + 腾 (to rise, to surge) — the rising and surging motion of boiling liquid; figuratively, surging emotional intensity

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal