A kettle is a common household appliance used to boil water for various needs.
Word in 30 Seconds
- An appliance for heating or keeping water hot.
- Used for making drinks and cooking.
- Common in homes, offices, and public places.
Overview
热水壶（rè shuǐ hú）是一个非常常见的中文词汇，指的是一种用来加热水或保温的设备。它可以是电动的，也可以是传统的非电动类型。在现代家庭和办公室中，电热水壶因其方便快捷而最为普及。
热水壶最基本的使用方式就是烧水。用户将水倒入壶中，然后接通电源（如果是电热水壶）或在火上加热（如果是传统水壶），等待水烧开。许多电热水壶有自动断电功能，烧开后会自动停止加热，以确保安全和节能。有些热水壶还具备保温功能，可以在一段时间内保持水温。
热水壶在日常生活中无处不在。家庭厨房是它最常见的场所，用于冲泡饮品（如茶、咖啡、奶粉）、做饭（如煮面条、泡方便面）等。办公室、学校、酒店、餐馆等公共场所也普遍配备热水壶，方便人们随时饮用热水。在一些寒冷地区，保温性能好的热水壶（有时也指保温瓶）在冬季尤为重要。
与“热水壶”类似但意义略有不同的词包括：
Examples
我刚买了一个新的电热水壶，烧水速度很快。
everydayI just bought a new electric kettle, it boils water very quickly.
请在会议室的热水壶里烧一些开水。
formalPlease boil some hot water in the kettle in the conference room.
冬天来了，我得把我的老热水壶换个保温好的。
informalWinter is coming, I need to replace my old kettle with one that keeps water hot better.
实验室需要一个能精确控制水温的热水壶进行实验。
academicThe laboratory requires a kettle capable of precise temperature control for experiments.
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
烧一壶水
boil a kettle of water
用热水壶
use a kettle
保温功能
keep-warm function
Often Confused With
A '暖瓶' (nuǎn píng) is a thermos flask, designed primarily for keeping liquids hot for extended periods, not for boiling them. A '热水壶' (rè shuǐ hú) is typically used to heat water, especially electric kettles.
'电水壶' (diàn shuǐ hú) is a specific type of '热水壶' (rè shuǐ hú) that uses electricity to heat water. While all '电水壶' are '热水壶', not all '热水壶' are electric (e.g., stovetop kettles).
Grammar Patterns
How to Use It
Usage Notes
The term '热水壶' is very common and widely understood. While it can refer to any kettle, in modern Chinese, it most frequently refers to an electric kettle due to their prevalence. Context usually makes the meaning clear.
Common Mistakes
Learners might sometimes confuse '热水壶' (kettle) with '暖瓶' (thermos flask) due to their shared function of holding hot water. It's important to remember that a kettle heats water, while a thermos flask primarily maintains its temperature.
Tips
Boil Fresh Water Every Time
For the best taste and hygiene, it's recommended to boil fresh water each time you use the kettle, rather than re-boiling previously boiled water.
Avoid Overfilling
Do not fill the kettle beyond the maximum water level indicator. Overfilling can cause boiling water to spill out, posing a burn risk.
Tea Culture Connection
In many cultures, especially in Asia, the kettle is central to daily tea rituals. Having hot water readily available is a sign of hospitality.
Word Origin
The word '热水壶' is a straightforward combination of '热' (rè - hot), '水' (shuǐ - water), and '壶' (hú - pot/kettle). It literally means 'hot water pot/kettle'.
Cultural Context
In Chinese culture, offering guests hot water or tea is a fundamental aspect of hospitality. The presence of a kettle, especially in homes and offices, facilitates this practice and reflects politeness and care.
Memory Tip
Imagine a 'hot water pot' (热水壶) that you plug in ('electric') to quickly get water for your 'tea' ('hot'). The 'pot' part is key.
Frequently Asked Questions
4 questions电热水壶是利用电力来加热水的，通常带有自动断电和保温功能，使用方便安全。普通热水壶（或指传统水壶）则需要放在炉灶上加热，或者指保温性能好的非电动水壶。
使用电热水壶时，请确保壶内有足够的水，不要超过最高水位线。烧水时不要让儿童靠近，以免烫伤。使用后及时拔掉电源，并让其冷却后再清洗。
一般不建议用热水壶加热牛奶、汤等其他液体，因为这可能导致液体溢出、糊底，甚至损坏电器。热水壶主要设计用于烧水。
可以用白醋或柠檬酸加水煮沸，然后静置一段时间，再倒掉并用清水冲洗干净，以去除水垢。外部可以用湿布擦拭。
Test Yourself
早上我需要用______烧点热水来泡咖啡。
根据句意，需要一个烧水的器具，所以“热水壶”是最佳选择。
关于电热水壶，以下哪个说法是正确的？
电热水壶的主要功能是快速烧水，并且现代电热水壶大多具备安全保护功能，如自动断电。
烧水 / 用 / 壶 / 我 / 准备 / 来 / 了 / 一个 / 新的
这是一个主谓宾结构清晰、符合中文表达习惯的句子。
Score: /3
Summary
A kettle is a common household appliance used to boil water for various needs.
- An appliance for heating or keeping water hot.
- Used for making drinks and cooking.
- Common in homes, offices, and public places.
Boil Fresh Water Every Time
For the best taste and hygiene, it's recommended to boil fresh water each time you use the kettle, rather than re-boiling previously boiled water.
Avoid Overfilling
Do not fill the kettle beyond the maximum water level indicator. Overfilling can cause boiling water to spill out, posing a burn risk.
Tea Culture Connection
In many cultures, especially in Asia, the kettle is central to daily tea rituals. Having hot water readily available is a sign of hospitality.
Examples
4 of 4我刚买了一个新的电热水壶，烧水速度很快。
I just bought a new electric kettle, it boils water very quickly.
请在会议室的热水壶里烧一些开水。
Please boil some hot water in the kettle in the conference room.
冬天来了，我得把我的老热水壶换个保温好的。
Winter is coming, I need to replace my old kettle with one that keeps water hot better.
实验室需要一个能精确控制水温的热水壶进行实验。
The laboratory requires a kettle capable of precise temperature control for experiments.
