煎

• Pinyin: jiān
• Hanzi breakdown: 煎 = 灬 (fire, bottom radical form) + 前 (phonetic component meaning front/before)

Meaning

To pan-fry; to fry in shallow oil. A cooking method using a small amount of oil in a flat pan with moderate heat.

Specifically refers to cooking in a pan with just enough oil to prevent sticking, as opposed to deep-frying (炸) or stir-frying (炒). Also used metaphorically to describe being tormented or anxious, as in 煎熬 (to suffer anguish). Common in both home cooking and restaurant contexts.

Examples

1. 把鸡蛋煎到两面金黄，撒上一点盐就可以吃了。 Pan-fry the egg until both sides are golden, sprinkle a little salt and it's ready to eat.
2. 她每天早上都会煎一块牛排，配上沙拉当早餐。 She pan-fries a steak every morning and has it with salad for breakfast.
3. 这道菜的关键是把豆腐煎得外酥里嫩。 The key to this dish is pan-frying the tofu until it's crispy on the outside and tender inside.

Usage Guide

Context: cooking, food, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 煎饺子的时候要盖上盖子焖一下。(When pan-frying dumplings, cover with a lid and let them steam for a bit.)
• 中火慢煎才能让鱼皮不破。(Slow pan-frying over medium heat keeps the fish skin from breaking.)

Don't Say

• 用'煎'来描述油炸食品 (Don't use 煎 for deep-fried foods — use 炸; 煎 uses very little oil in a flat pan)

Origin & History

Composed of 火 (fire radical) + 前 (front; before, here phonetic). The fire radical indicates the cooking-related meaning.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal