冷冻

• Pinyin: lěng dòng
• Hanzi breakdown: 冷 = 冫(ice radical) + 令 (command — cold command); 冻 = 冫(ice radical) + 东 (east — phonetic component)

Meaning

To freeze; to preserve at sub-zero temperatures; frozen.

Refers specifically to freezing food or other substances at low temperatures for preservation or scientific purposes. Also used in medical contexts such as cryo-preservation of embryos or biological samples. Distinct from 冷藏 (refrigeration without freezing) in that 冷冻 implies temperatures at or below zero degrees.

Examples

1. 这批海鲜必须立即冷冻保存，否则很快就会变质腐烂。 This batch of seafood must be frozen immediately for storage, or it will spoil quickly.
2. 她把揉好的多余面团冷冻起来，留着下次烘焙时使用。 She froze the extra dough she had kneaded to use the next time she bakes.
3. 冷冻食品在整个运输过程中需要全程维持稳定的低温环境。 Frozen foods need a consistently low temperature throughout the entire shipping process.

Usage Guide

Context: food, cooking, medicine, logistics, preservation

Tone: practical

Do Say

• 请把吃不完的食材及时放入冷冻室保存。(Please put any leftover ingredients into the freezer promptly.)
• 冷冻保存可以大大延长食品的保质期，减少浪费。(Freezing can greatly extend the shelf life of food and reduce waste.)

Don't Say

• 将冷冻与冷藏混用 — 冷冻指零度以下的冰冻储存，冷藏指低温但不结冰的保鲜方式，两者用途不同

Origin & History

冷 (cold) + 冻 (to freeze)

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal