Chinese beginners or foreigners often confuse the usages of hot words in Mandarin热【rè=hot】and烫【tàng=scorching hot, perm, iron, scald】. Here you learn how to use them with examples.
Chinese word for hot 热【rè=hot】is often used as an adjective for something that you can feel as physical reaction. It can also be used with an object as a noun. It is rare used as a verb.
烫【tàng】is hotter than热【rè】. 烫【tàng= scald, perm, iron】is often used as a verb. 烫【tàng= scorching hot】can also be used as an adjective for the object that is very hot to the touch.
烫【tàng】is used as a noun with an object. 热【rè=hot】and烫【tàng】 can also be used as metaphor.
I. Learn Basic Mandarin - 热【rè】
a.热【rè=hot】is often used as an adjective for something that you can feel as physical reaction such as weather, temperature.
Example 1:
夏天【xiàtián=summer】，北京【BěiJīng=Beijing】真【zhēn=really】热【rè=hot】。
夏天，北京 真 热。
Example 2:
I feel 35 degrees is very hot.
我【wǒ=I】觉得【juéde=feel】35【sānshíwǔ】度【dù=degree】是【shì=is】很【hěn=very】热【rè=hot】。
我 觉得 35 度 是 很 热。
Example 3:
It's still hot, wait a while before you eat it.
Literally means," It's still hot, you wait in a short while then eat it".
还【hái=still】热【rè=hot】，你【nǐ=you】等【děng=wait】一下【yīxià= in a short while】再【zài=then】吃【chī=eat】。
还 热，你 等 一下 再 吃。
b. 热【rè=hot】can also be used with an object as a noun, such as food, beverage, home appliance, love.
Example 1:
I want to drink a cup of hot water.
我【wǒ=I】想【xiǎng=want to】喝【hē=drink】一【yī=a】杯【bēi=cup, a measure word for beverages】热【rè=hot】水【shuǐ=water】。
我 想 喝 一杯 热 水。
c. 热【rè=hot】is rare used as a verb.
Example:
I heat food up for a while.
我【wǒ=I】把【bǎ】菜【cài=food】加热【jiārè=heat up】一下【yīxià= in a short while】。
我 把 菜 加热 一下。
d. 热【rè=hot】can also be used as a metaphor.
Example:
How you can't really love soccer?
Literally means," How you can't deep love soccer?"
你【nǐ=you】怎么【zěnme=how】能【néng=can】不【bù=not】热爱【rè'ài=have deep love】足球【zúqiú=soccer】？
你 怎么 能 不 热爱 足球？
II. Learn Basic Mandarin - 烫【tàng】
a. 烫【tàng= scald, perm, iron】is often used as a verb.
Example 1:
Do you want a perm?
你【nǐ=you】要【yào=want】烫【tàng=perm】头发【tóufa=hair】吗【ma】？
你 要 烫 头发 吗？
Example 2:
I haven't ironed yet.
Literally means, "I haven't ironed clothes yet".
我【wǒ=I】还没【háiméi=has/have not done yet】烫【tàng=iron】衣服【yīfu= clothes】。
我 还没 烫 衣服。
Example 3:
Use boiled water to scald shrimps in a short while.
用【yòng=use】开水【kāishuǐ=boiled water】把【bǎ】虾【xiā=shrimp】烫【tàng=scald】一下【yīxià= in a short while】。
b. 烫【tàng= scorching hot, boiling hot, very hot, scalding hot】can also be used as an adjective for the object that is very hot to the touch such as boiling soup, scalding water, electric stove.
Example 1:
Be careful! The soup is scorching hot.
小心【xiǎoxīn=be careful】！汤【tāng=soup】很【hěn】烫【tàng= scorching hot】！
小心！汤 很 烫！
Note:
很【hěn】is necessary before any adjective in the simple statement such as汤【tāng=soup】很【hěn】烫【tàng= scorching hot】, but never means "very".
Here很 【hěn】just acts as a link between the noun汤【tāng=soup】and the adjective烫【tàng=scalding】. You can't say "汤【tāng=soup】烫【tàng= scorching hot】".
Example 2:
This bottle of water is extremely scorching hot.
这【zhè=this】瓶【píng=bottle】水【shuǐ=water】太【tài= too, extremely】烫【tàng= scorching hot】了【le】！
这 瓶 水 太 烫 了！
c. 烫【tàng】is used as a noun with an object, such as food, home appliance.
Example:
Older female cousin loves eating hot and spicy soup.
Literary means," Older female cousin eating boiled in hot and spicy soup".
表姐【biǎojiě= (maternal) older female cousin】喜欢【xǐhuān=love】吃【chī=eat】麻辣烫【málātàng= boiled in hot and spicy soup】。
表姐 喜欢 吃 麻辣烫。
Example 2:
I haven't bought ironing board yet.
我【wǒ=I】还没【háiméi= has/have not done yet】买【mǎi=buy】烫衣板【tàngyībǎn= ironing board】。
我 还没 买 烫衣板。
d. 烫【tàng】can also be used as metaphor.
Example:
He loves me and my face scalds up.
他【tā=he】喜欢【xǐhuān=love】我【wǒ=me】, 我的【wǒde=my】脸【liǎn=face】火【huǒ=fire】烫【tàng=scald】起来【qǐlái=up】。
他 喜欢 我, 我的 脸 火烫 起来。
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