Meaning and Usage
The verb 烤 (kǎo) primarily means 'to roast,' 'to bake,' or 'to grill' food using heat, often from an oven or open flame. It is commonly used in everyday contexts related to cooking.
Common Contexts
烤 is frequently used with foods like chicken (烤鸡), bread (烤面包), and meat (烤肉). It implies cooking by dry heat, distinguishing it from boiling or steaming.
Collocations and Patterns
- 烤肉 (kǎoròu): barbecue or grilled meat, often used for social gatherings.
- 烤箱 (kǎoxiāng): oven, the appliance used for baking or roasting.
- 烤鸡 (kǎojī): roasted chicken, a common dish.
Usage Notes
When using 烤, the focus is on the cooking method involving dry heat. It can be used transitively (to roast something) or in instructions (e.g., 烤十分钟). Avoid confusing 烤 with 煮 (zhǔ, to boil) or 炒 (chǎo, to stir-fry), which involve different cooking methods.
Tone and Register
烤 is neutral and widely used in both casual and formal contexts related to food preparation.