How to Write 炖 (dùn) — Meaning “To stew”

Picture a fire (火) under a pot that is slowly cooking a pile of meat shaped like a little hill (屯). The hill shape represents the food being stewed until tender. This links the fire and the cooking action to the character's meaning.

The left radical 火 must be written with the last stroke changing from a dot to a short downward stroke when it becomes a radical (火字旁). The right part 屯 has 4 strokes: horizontal, vertical lift, vertical hook, and two short horizontals inside. Make sure the vertical hook is straight and the bottom is flat.

炖 (dùn) means to stew and uses fire on the left; 灯 (dēng) means lamp and has 火 on the left but a different right part (丁), so it's about light not cooking. 灰 (huī) means ash or dust and has 火 on top with 又 below, so it describes burned residue, not a cooking method.

炖 is used for slow-cooking foods in liquid, like 炖肉 (stewed meat) or 炖汤 (to stew soup). In Chinese cuisine, 炖 is a gentle method that makes tough ingredients tender, and 清炖 (clear stew) refers to a light broth without heavy seasonings, often used for health-conscious dishes.

Common words containing 炖 include: 炖肉 (dùn ròu) — Stewed meat; 炖汤 (dùn tāng) — To stew soup; 清炖 (qīng dùn) — to stew in clear soup; braised in clear broth.