糊

• Pinyin: hú
• Hanzi breakdown: 糊 = 米 (rice) + 胡 (phonetic component) — rice paste; extended to cover all paste-like substances and the act of sticking or burning

Meaning

To paste or glue something onto a surface; to be scorched or burned. Two main uses: applying an adhesive substance, or something being charred.

When used for food, 饭糊了 means the food has burned or stuck to the pan. When used in construction or craft, 糊墙 means plastering or pasting. The word also forms 糊状 (paste-like consistency).

Examples

1. 他不小心把米饭糊在锅底，厨房里弥漫着一股焦糊味，半天都散不去。 He accidentally scorched rice onto the bottom of the pot, and the kitchen filled with a burnt smell that wouldn’t go away for a long time.
2. 工人们将壁纸仔细地糊在墙上，确保每一处接缝都平整，没有气泡。 The workers carefully pasted the wallpaper onto the wall, making sure every seam was smooth and bubble-free.
3. 由于长时间高温暴晒，橡胶密封条已经开始糊化变形，需要立即更换。 After long exposure to intense heat, the rubber seal has begun to break down and deform and needs to be replaced immediately.

Usage Guide

Context: cooking, construction, crafts

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 做油炸食品时一定要控制好火候，不然很容易把外皮糊掉，影响口感和卖相。(When deep-frying, you must carefully control the heat — otherwise the coating can easily scorch, ruining both the texture and the appearance.)
• 这批旧照片已经因为潮湿而部分糊在一起，修复工作需要专业人员使用特殊工具才能完成。(These old photographs have partially stuck together due to moisture; restoration requires a professional using specialised tools.)

Don't Say

• 糊 alone when you mean 糊涂 (muddled/confused) — 糊 on its own refers to paste or scorching; 糊涂 is the adjective for mental confusion

Origin & History

糊 = 米 (rice) + 胡 — originally referring to a paste made from rice; extended to mean to paste, or the scorched state from excessive heat

Cultural Context

Era: Classical to Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal