熬 (āo) - Meaning, Stroke Order, Words & Examples

Q: What does 熬 (āo) mean in Chinese?

The Chinese character 熬 (āo) means "to stew; to endure; to stay up late". with 14 strokes and the radical 灬.

Q: How do you write 熬 stroke by stroke?

熬 has 14 strokes. The radical is 灬. Follow the standard stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. Practice with stroke animation to build muscle memory.

Q: What's the difference between 熬 and 焦?

熬 (āo) and 焦 look similar but differ in meaning and usage. Check the radical and stroke count to tell them apart.

Q: What mistakes do learners make writing 熬?

Common mistake: incorrect stroke order or miswriting the radical 灬. Pay attention to the proportion between components — keep the radical compact.

Q: What common words use 熬?

Common words containing 熬 include: 熬夜 (áo yè) — to stay up late; 熬汤 (áo tāng) — to make soup; to stew soup; 熬药 (áo yào) — to decoct herbal medicine.

How to Write 熬

The character 熬 (āo) is written with 14 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 灬 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

Meaning & Pronunciation

熬 is pronounced āo in Mandarin Chinese. It means to stew; to endure; to stay up late.

This is a polyphonic character with readings: āo, áo.

Common Words with 熬

熬夜 áo yè

to stay up late

熬汤 áo tāng

to make soup; to stew soup

熬药 áo yào

to decoct herbal medicine

熬白菜 āo bái cài

Stewed Chinese cabbage.

Example Sentences

别总是熬夜。

bié zǒng shì áo yè

Don't always stay up late.

妈妈在熬汤。

mā mā zài áo tāng

Mom is simmering soup.

医生在熬药。

yī shēng zài áo yào

The doctor is brewing herbal medicine.

奶奶喜欢熬白菜吃。

nǎi nai xǐ huān āo bái cài chī

Grandma likes to stew cabbage.

Similar Characters

焦 jiāo

然 rán

煎 jiān

Practice Writing 熬 (āo)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 熬 with real-time feedback.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 熬

What does 熬 (āo) mean in Chinese?

How do you write 熬 stroke by stroke?

What's the difference between 熬 and 焦?

What mistakes do learners make writing 熬?

What common words use 熬?

How to Write 熬 (āo)