湯

tāng

hot water; soup, broth; to boil or scald; King Tang of Shang

Meaning

Physical: Boiling or heated water.
Culinary: Broth, soup, or gravy.
Medicinal: A decoction (a medicinal brew produced by boiling herbs).
Proper Name: King Tang (Cheng Tang), founder of the Shang dynasty.

Grammar and usage

Verbal use: To boil, to scald, or to pour boiling water over. In this role, it emphasizes the heat of the liquid and the potential for scalding, as distinguished from 煮 (to cook).

Distinctions

vs. 羹 (gēng): While overlapping in culinary contexts, 湯 typically refers to a thinner, clearer liquid or essence, whereas 羹 often implies a thicker stew or porridge-like consistency.
vs. 沸 (fèi): 沸 refers to the process or state of bubbling/boiling; 湯 refers to the substance itself.
vs. 濯 / 滌: These terms refer to washing or cleansing; 湯 is specifically defined by heat rather than hygiene.

History and forms

Simplified variant: U+6C64.

Decontextualized translator aid. This page describes plausible lexical range; it does not choose what the glyph means in a particular passage.