汤 (tāng)

汤 means soup or broth. It refers to any hot liquid dish made by simmering ingredients. Soup is a fundamental part of Chinese meals. The character has the water radical (氵) on the left, reflecting its liquid nature.

Meanings

[noun] Soup; broth; a hot liquid dish.

Example Sentences

妈妈今天做了一锅鸡汤。 Māma jīntiān zuò le yī guō jītāng. Mom made a pot of chicken soup today.

天冷的时候喝汤很暖和。 Tiān lěng de shíhou hē tāng hěn nuǎnhuo. Drinking soup when it is cold is very warming.

这碗汤太烫了，等一下再喝。 Zhè wǎn tāng tài tàng le, děng yīxià zài hē. This bowl of soup is too hot; wait a moment before drinking it.

我点了一份番茄蛋花汤。 Wǒ diǎn le yī fèn fānqié dànhuā tāng. I ordered a tomato and egg drop soup.

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
鸡汤	chicken soup
喝汤	to drink soup
煲汤	to simmer soup (Cantonese style)
汤圆	glutinous rice balls in soup
一碗汤	a bowl of soup

Memory Hook

汤 has the water radical (氵). Soup is essentially flavored water. When you see those three drops of water on the left, think of a steaming, fragrant bowl of 汤. In Chinese cuisine, soup is not just a first course — it is often drunk throughout the meal or at the end. Famous soups include 鸡汤 (chicken broth), 骨头汤 (pork bone soup), and 番茄蛋花汤 (tomato egg drop soup).