水壺 / 水壶
shuǐhú
In Chinese, the word for kettle is 水壺 / 水壶 (shuǐhú). Wiktionary also lists 壺 / 壶 (hú).
Meaning: vessel for boiling a liquid or cooking food (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 水壺 / 水壶 | shuǐhú |
| 壺 / 壶 | hú |
The term is used to describe a vessel used for boiling liquids or cooking food. For a specific reference to an electric kettle, you should use 电水壶.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 水壺 / 水壶 is composed of 水, which means water and 壺 / 壶, which means kettle or pot.
Which one should you use?
While 水壺 / 水壶 refers specifically to a water kettle, the single character 壺 / 壶 is more general and can refer to various types of pots or kettles, such as a teapot (茶壶).
How do you pronounce it?
shuǐhú
Did you know?
- In Chinese culture, the calabash shape represented by 壺 / 壶 is a symbol of longevity and is often carried by immortals in mythology.
- The character 壺 originally referred to a 'calabash' or gourd, which people used as containers long before metal kettles existed.
- The word 壶 is so versatile that it can be used in names of musical instruments or decorative art pieces, moving far beyond its simple kitchen origins.
Examples in context
- 妈妈，我可以借一下水壶吗？Mom, can I borrow the kettle for a moment?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “kettle” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 壺, CC BY-SA 4.0.
