Chinese word

焖

Pronunciation

Pinyinmèn

Meaning

  • verbbraise

Example

妈妈会用砂锅焖排骨。mā mā huì yòng shā guō mèn pái gǔ

Mom can braise spare ribs in a clay pot.

Illustration for 焖 (braise)

More examples

今天晚上我打算用电饭锅焖饭。jīn tiān wǎn shàng wǒ dǎ suàn yòng diàn fàn guō mèn fàn

Tonight I plan to steam-braise rice in an electric rice cooker.

Core concept

Food cooks covered in a pot over gentle heat, with a little liquid slowly making it tender and flavorful.

Common phrases

  • 焖排骨mèn pái gǔ

    braise spare ribs

  • 焖饭mèn fàn

    steam-braise rice

  • 小火焖xiáo huǒ mèn

    simmer over low heat

Similar words

炖dùn: Simmer food slowly for a long time in plenty of liquid until tender.
煮zhǔ: Cook food in water or other liquid until it is done.
蒸zhēng: Steam food over hot water until it is cooked.
炒chǎo: Stir-fry food quickly over high heat with a little hot oil.

Definition in Chinese

把食材与少量汤汁同放入锅中，盖上锅盖用小火慢慢煮至入味或软烂。bǎ shí cái yǔ shǎo liàng tāng zhī tóng fàng rù guō zhōng gài shàng guō gài yòng xiáo huǒ màn màn zhǔ zhì rù wèi huò ruǎn làn

Word origin

焖 (mèn, "braise") is the simplified form of an older character, retaining the fire radical as a clue to cooking with heat.

Usage tips

  • In recipe directions, the ingredient can be the object of this verb, so short sentences can name the food first and the cooking step second.

Other meanings

  • simmerverb
  • steam-braiseverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word