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A2 verb #7,000 most common 8 min read

烫伤

tangshang Top 7,000

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips 烫伤 in 30 Seconds

Explanation 烫伤 in your Level:

At the A1 level, you should know that '烫' (tàng) means 'hot' and '伤' (shāng) means 'hurt' or 'injury'. When you put them together as '烫伤' (tàngshāng), it means you got hurt by something hot, like hot water or a hot pot. You will mostly hear this in simple warnings like '小心烫伤' (Be careful, don't get burned). It is a very useful word to know if you are in a kitchen or drinking hot tea. You don't need to worry about complex grammar yet; just remember it as a word for a 'heat injury'. If you accidentally touch something hot, you can say '我烫伤了' (I got burned).

At the A2 level, you start using '烫伤' in more complete sentences. You should learn how to use the '被' (bèi) structure to show what caused the burn. For example, '我的手被热水烫伤了' (My hand was burned by hot water). You should also distinguish '烫伤' from just '烫'. '烫' is an adjective (This soup is hot), while '烫伤' is the injury itself. You might also encounter this word on safety signs in public places, such as near boiling water dispensers on trains or in hotels. It is important to know this word for basic safety and describing minor accidents to others.

At the B1 level, you should be comfortable using '烫伤' as both a verb and a noun. You can describe the severity of the injury using adverbs like '严重' (yánzhòng - serious) or '轻微' (qīngwēi - slight). For example, '他的烫伤很严重，必须去医院' (His burn is very serious, he must go to the hospital). You should also begin to understand the difference between '烫伤' (scalds/contact burns) and '烧伤' (fire burns). At this level, you might also use the word in the context of giving advice or first aid, such as '烫伤后应该先用凉水冲' (After a burn, you should first rinse it with cold water).

At the B2 level, you can use '烫伤' in more formal or professional contexts. You might read about it in news reports concerning industrial safety or public health. You should be able to discuss the causes and prevention of '烫伤' in more detail, perhaps using related terms like '预防' (yùfáng - prevent) or '急救' (jíjiù - first aid). You will also notice the word appearing in more complex sentence patterns, such as '造成了严重的烫伤' (caused serious burns). At this stage, your vocabulary should also include specific types of burns, like '蒸汽烫伤' (steam scalds) or '油脂烫伤' (oil burns).

At the C1 level, you are expected to understand the nuances of '烫伤' in medical, legal, and literary contexts. You might encounter '烫伤' in a medical journal discussing the pathophysiology of thermal injuries or in a legal document regarding workplace liability. You should be able to use the term with high precision, distinguishing it from '灼伤' (cauterization/chemical burns) or '热损伤' (thermal damage). You can also use it metaphorically in creative writing, though this is rare compared to other words. Your ability to explain the first-aid procedures and long-term recovery for '烫伤' in fluent, sophisticated Chinese is a hallmark of this level.

At the C2 level, '烫伤' is a word you handle with native-like precision across all domains. You can discuss the historical evolution of the characters '烫' and '伤', and how the term fits into the broader linguistic category of resultative verb compounds. You are comfortable using the term in high-level medical research, policy making for public safety, or complex literary narratives. You understand the cultural implications of '烫伤' in Chinese society, including traditional remedies and modern medical approaches. You can effortlessly switch between colloquial expressions like '烫到了' and formal clinical terms like '深二度烫伤' depending on the audience.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

烫伤 in 30 Seconds

烫伤 (tàngshāng) specifically refers to burns caused by hot liquids, steam, or touching hot objects.
It is a verb-noun compound: 烫 (hot) + 伤 (injury), often used with '了' or '被'.
Commonly seen on safety signs like '小心烫伤' (Caution: Scalding) near water dispensers.
Distinguish it from 烧伤 (fire burns) and 晒伤 (sunburns) for natural Chinese usage.

The Chinese term 烫伤 (tàngshāng) is a highly specific verb-noun compound used to describe injuries caused by heat, particularly from hot liquids, steam, or direct contact with hot objects. In English, we often distinguish between 'scald' (liquid/steam) and 'burn' (fire/dry heat), but in Chinese, tàngshāng covers the entire spectrum of thermal injuries that don't necessarily involve an open flame. It is a word you will encounter daily in domestic settings, safety warnings, and medical contexts. Understanding this word requires looking at its components: 烫 (tàng), meaning very hot or to scald, and 伤 (shāng), meaning injury or wound. Together, they form a resultative verb construction that indicates the action of being exposed to heat resulted in a physical injury.

Domestic Context: The most common use is in the kitchen. If you spill hot tea on your hand or touch a hot pot, you would say you '烫伤'ed yourself. It is the go-to word for parents warning children about the stove.
Medical Context: In a hospital setting, doctors use this to categorize the type of trauma. It helps distinguish from '烧伤' (shāoshāng), which often implies more severe burns from fire or chemicals.

如果不小心，热开水会烫伤你的皮肤。(If you are not careful, boiling water will scald your skin.)

The word is versatile. It can function as a verb, as in '被烫伤了' (was scalded), or as a noun, as in '处理烫伤' (treating a burn). Because Chinese culture emphasizes the consumption of hot water and hot food, the risk of tàngshāng is a frequent topic of conversation. You will see signs in public places like '小心烫伤' (Caution: Hot) near water dispensers or steam vents. Unlike the English 'burn', which can be metaphorical (e.g., 'burned by a friend'), tàngshāng is almost strictly physical. If you want to talk about a metaphorical burn, you would use different terminology.

他的手被热油烫伤了。(His hand was burned by hot oil.)

Industrial Safety: In factories dealing with steam pipes or molten materials, '烫伤' is a primary safety concern, often listed in employee handbooks alongside '电击' (electric shock).

Using 烫伤 (tàngshāng) correctly involves understanding its role as a resultative verb. In Chinese grammar, resultative compounds describe an action and its outcome. Here, '烫' is the action (exposure to heat) and '伤' is the result (injury). Consequently, it is very common to see this word paired with the particle '了' (le) to indicate the completion of the injury, or with the passive marker '被' (bèi) to show who or what was affected.

别碰那个锅，小心烫伤！(Don't touch that pot, be careful of scalding!)

When constructing sentences, you can use the 'Subject + 被 + Source + 烫伤了' structure. For example, '我被汤烫伤了' (I was burned by the soup). This is the most natural way to express a sudden accident. Alternatively, you can use the 'Source + 把 + Subject + 烫伤了' structure to emphasize the cause: '热汤把我烫伤了' (The hot soup burned me). Both are grammatically correct, but the passive '被' version is more common when focusing on the victim's state.

Degree Adverbs: You can modify the severity using adverbs like '严重' (yánzhòng - serious). Example: '他的腿烫伤得很严重' (His leg is severely burned).

医生正在处理病人的烫伤。(The doctor is treating the patient's burn.)

In imperative sentences, tàngshāng is often preceded by '小心' (xiǎoxīn - be careful) or '当心' (dāngxīn - watch out). This is common in signage. If you are describing a recurring danger, you might say '容易烫伤' (easy to get burned). In professional writing, such as a medical report, you might specify the degree of the burn: '二度烫伤' (second-degree burn). This demonstrates the word's flexibility across informal and formal registers.

You will hear 烫伤 (tàngshāng) in several key environments in China and Chinese-speaking communities. The first is the home. Because Chinese culinary techniques often involve high-heat stir-frying, deep-frying, and boiling soups, domestic accidents are a common topic. A grandmother might warn a grandchild, '离灶台远点，别烫伤了' (Stay away from the stove, don't get burned). This is an essential word for household safety.

Public Transportation & Services: On high-speed trains (G-series), there are water dispensers in every carriage providing boiling water for tea or instant noodles. Above these dispensers, you will almost always see a sticker that says '小心烫伤' (Caution: Scalding). You might also hear an announcement reminding passengers to be careful when carrying hot beverages during train movement.

服务员，我不小心被茶水烫伤了，有药吗？(Waiter, I accidentally got scalded by the tea, do you have any medicine?)

In restaurants, particularly hot pot (huǒguō) or malatang places, the word is ubiquitous. Servers will often shout '借过，小心烫' (Coming through, be careful, it's hot) as they carry bubbling pots. If a spill occurs, the immediate concern is whether someone has a tàngshāng. It's also a common word in pharmacies (yàodiàn). If you go in with a red mark on your arm, the pharmacist will likely ask, '是烫伤吗？' (Is it a burn?).

新闻报道了工厂蒸汽泄漏导致多名工人烫伤。(The news reported that a steam leak at the factory caused several workers to be scalded.)

Finally, in news reports and safety briefings, tàngshāng is used to describe industrial accidents. Whether it's a steam pipe burst or a chemical spill that causes thermal damage, the media uses this term to convey the nature of the injuries to the public. It is a word that bridges the gap between a minor kitchen mishap and a serious industrial casualty.

One of the most frequent mistakes English speakers make when using 烫伤 (tàngshāng) is over-extending its meaning to cover all types of 'burns.' In English, 'burn' is a broad term. In Chinese, you must be more precise. For instance, if you get a sunburn from staying at the beach too long, you should use 晒伤 (shàishāng), not tàngshāng. Using the latter would imply you touched a hot stove, which would confuse your listener.

Confusion with 烧伤 (shāoshāng): While they both mean 'burn,' '烧伤' is typically used for fire, electricity, or chemicals. '烫伤' is for hot liquids and steam. If a house is on fire, the victims have '烧伤'. If a waiter spills soup, the victim has '烫伤'.

Incorrect: 太阳把我烫伤了。(The sun burned me.)
Correct: 太阳把我晒伤了。

Another mistake is using tàngshāng to describe food that is burnt or overcooked. In English, we say 'The toast is burned.' In Chinese, you would say '面包烤焦了' (miànbāo kǎojiāole). Tàngshāng is strictly for injuries to living organisms. If you say '鱼被烫伤了' (The fish was scalded), people might think you are talking about a live fish in a tank that had hot water poured on it, not the grilled fish on your plate.

Lastly, learners often forget the '伤' and just say '我烫了' (wǒ tàng le). While '烫' means hot, saying '我烫了' sounds like you are saying 'I am hot' (like having a fever) or 'I have permed my hair' (another meaning of 烫). To express that you were injured, you must include the '伤' (injury) component to be clear.

To truly master 烫伤 (tàngshāng), you should know the related vocabulary that shares its semantic space. The most immediate neighbor is 烧伤 (shāoshāng). While often interchangeable in casual English, in Chinese, shāoshāng usually implies fire (火) or more severe, deep-tissue damage. Medical professionals often use '烧烫伤' (shāo-tàngshāng) as a collective term to cover all thermal injuries.

烫伤 vs. 晒伤: 烫伤: Scalding from liquids/steam or hot objects.
晒伤: Sunburn from UV radiation.
烫伤 vs. 灼伤 (zhuóshāng): 灼伤: A more formal, technical term for any kind of burn, including chemical and radiation burns. You'll see this in textbooks more than in kitchens.

医生，这处灼伤需要涂药吗？(Doctor, does this burn/cauterization need ointment?)

If you are looking for a very informal way to say you got burned, people sometimes just say '烫到了' (tàng dào le). This is less clinical than tàngshāng and is very common in spoken Mandarin. It emphasizes the moment of contact rather than the resulting medical condition. For example, if you touch a hot cup and pull away quickly, you'd say '哎呀，烫到了！' (Ouch, I got burned!). If a blister forms later, you would then describe it as a '烫伤'.

In summary, choose tàngshāng for hot liquids and surfaces, shāoshāng for fire, 晒伤 for the sun, and 灼伤 for formal or chemical contexts. This precision will make your Chinese sound much more natural and native-like.

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

In ancient Chinese, '汤' (tāng) actually meant 'hot water' before it meant 'soup'. This is why '烫' (tàng) uses '汤' as its phonetic component.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /tʰâŋ.ʂáŋ/

US /tʰâŋ.ʂáŋ/

Primary stress on the first syllable 'tàng'.

Rhymes With

胖 (pàng) 棒 (bàng) 张 (zhāng) 光 (guāng) 忙 (máng) 方 (fāng) 常 (cháng) 双 (shuāng)

Common Errors

Pronouncing 'tang' with a rising tone (táng), which means 'sugar' or 'soup'.
Failing to retroflex the 'sh' in 'shang'.
Pronouncing 'shang' with a 4th tone (shàng), which means 'up'.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 2/5

Characters are slightly complex but very common in daily life.

Writing 3/5

Writing '烫' requires attention to the Fire radical and phonetic part.

Speaking 2/5

Pronunciation is straightforward if you master the 4th and 1st tones.

Listening 2/5

Easy to recognize in context of kitchen or safety warnings.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

热 (hot) 水 (water) 手 (hand) 疼 (pain) 伤 (injury)

Learn Next

烧伤 (burn) 晒伤 (sunburn) 创可贴 (band-aid) 药膏 (ointment) 急救 (first aid)

Advanced

坏死 (necrosis) 植皮 (skin graft) 瘢痕 (scar) 血清 (serum) 感染 (infection)

Grammar to Know

Resultative Complements

烫伤 (tàng-shāng): 烫 is the action, 伤 is the result.

Passive Voice with 被 (bèi)

我被热水烫伤了。

Ba-construction for Causality

开水把他的手烫伤了。

Directional Complements with 烫

烫到 (tàng dào) - to reach the state of being burned.

Adverbial Modification

烫伤得很严重 (burned very seriously).

Examples by Level

小心烫伤。

Be careful of burns.

Simple imperative sentence.

我烫伤了。

I got burned.

Subject + Verb + Particle 'le'.

热水烫伤。

Hot water burn.

Noun phrase.

手烫伤了。

Hand is burned.

Subject (Body part) + Verb + 'le'.

不要烫伤。

Don't get burned.

Negative imperative.

哪里烫伤了？

Where are you burned?

Question with 'nǎlǐ'.

这里烫伤了。

It's burned here.

Demonstrative + Verb + 'le'.

很疼的烫伤。

A painful burn.

Adjective + Noun structure.

我的手被热水烫伤了。

My hand was burned by hot water.

Passive 'bèi' structure.

喝汤时小心烫伤。

Be careful of burns when drinking soup.

'shí' meaning 'when'.

他被热油烫伤了。

He was burned by hot oil.

Passive 'bèi' structure with a specific source.

烫伤了要涂药。

If burned, you need to apply medicine.

Conditional implied.

这处烫伤不严重。

This burn is not serious.

Subject + Negative + Adjective.

别让孩子烫伤。

Don't let the child get burned.

'ràng' meaning 'let'.

烫伤的地方很红。

The burned area is very red.

Attributive clause with 'de'.

医生处理了烫伤。

The doctor treated the burn.

Subject + Verb + Object.

如果不小心，蒸汽也会烫伤人。

If you're not careful, steam can also burn people.

Conditional 'rúguǒ'.

他的腿部受到了轻微烫伤。

His leg suffered a slight burn.

'shòudào' + noun.

这种药膏对治疗烫伤很有用。

This ointment is very useful for treating burns.

'duì... hěn yǒuyòng'.

烫伤后请立即用凉水冲洗。

Please rinse with cold water immediately after a burn.

'hòu' meaning 'after'.

这种程度的烫伤需要看医生。

This degree of burn requires seeing a doctor.

'xūyào' + verb.

他在厨房工作时经常被烫伤。

He often gets burned while working in the kitchen.

'jīngcháng' meaning 'often'.

为了防止烫伤，请穿防护服。

To prevent burns, please wear protective clothing.

'wèile fángzhǐ' meaning 'in order to prevent'.

烫伤的伤口千万不能弄破。

The burn wound must absolutely not be broken.

'qiānwàn bùnéng' for strong prohibition.

该事故造成了多名员工严重烫伤。

The accident caused several employees to suffer serious burns.

Formal resultative structure.

热液烫伤是儿童最常见的意外伤害之一。

Liquid burns are one of the most common accidental injuries for children.

'...zhī yī' meaning 'one of'.

医生诊断该病人的烫伤为深二度。

The doctor diagnosed the patient's burn as deep second-degree.

Technical medical terminology.

大面积烫伤可能导致脱水和感染。

Large-area burns can lead to dehydration and infection.

'kěnéng dǎozhì' meaning 'might lead to'.

处理烫伤的第一步是远离热源。

The first step in treating a burn is to move away from the heat source.

Step-by-step instruction.

这种新型敷料能加速烫伤愈合。

This new type of dressing can accelerate burn healing.

'jiāsù' meaning 'accelerate'.

由于操作不当，他的手臂被化学物质烫伤了。

Due to improper operation, his arm was burned by chemicals.

'yóuyú' indicating cause.

学校开展了预防烫伤的安全教育讲座。

The school held a safety education lecture on preventing burns.

Formal event description.

烫伤的严重程度取决于接触热源的时间长短。

The severity of a burn depends on the duration of contact with the heat source.

'qǔjué yú' meaning 'depends on'.

对于深度烫伤，植皮手术往往是必要的。

For deep burns, skin graft surgery is often necessary.

Medical necessity expression.

我们需要评估烫伤对患者心理产生的负面影响。

We need to evaluate the negative psychological impact of the burn on the patient.

Psychological/Medical context.

法律规定，企业必须为烫伤事故承担相应的赔偿责任。

The law stipulates that enterprises must bear the corresponding compensation liability for burn accidents.

Legal/Regulatory language.

该研究探讨了不同温度下热液造成烫伤的阈值。

The study explored the threshold for burns caused by liquids at different temperatures.

Academic research language.

烫伤愈合后可能会留下永久性的瘢痕。

A permanent scar may remain after the burn heals.

Post-injury prognosis.

在野外生存中，烫伤的即时处理至关重要。

In wilderness survival, the immediate treatment of burns is crucial.

'zhìguān zhòngyào' meaning 'crucial'.

不仅是肉体上的痛，严重烫伤还会带来沉重的经济负担。

Not only is there physical pain, but serious burns also bring a heavy economic burden.

'bùjǐn... hái...' structure.

针对大面积烫伤引发的全身炎症反应综合征，临床上有一套严密的监测体系。

Clinically, there is a rigorous monitoring system for systemic inflammatory response syndrome caused by extensive burns.

Highly technical medical Chinese.

烫伤不仅关乎生理修复，更牵涉到社会康复与容貌重建的复杂课题。

Burns are not just about physiological repair, but also involve complex issues of social rehabilitation and facial reconstruction.

Sophisticated sociological/medical discussion.

古代文献中记载了多种用于治疗烫伤的草药方剂，反映了早期医学的智慧。

Ancient literature records various herbal prescriptions for treating burns, reflecting the wisdom of early medicine.

Historical/Academic register.

烫伤事故的频发往往折射出公共安全监管在某些领域的缺失。

The frequent occurrence of burn accidents often reflects the lack of public safety supervision in certain areas.

Sociopolitical analysis.

在极端的实验室条件下，研究人员模拟了极高温度下的瞬间烫伤过程。

Under extreme laboratory conditions, researchers simulated the process of instantaneous scalding at extremely high temperatures.

Advanced scientific description.

由于烫伤组织的坏死具有延迟性，初期的诊断往往需要动态观察。

Because the necrosis of burned tissue is delayed, initial diagnosis often requires dynamic observation.

Specialized medical diagnostic language.

该市通过立法，强制要求公共场所安装防止烫伤的恒温供水系统。

The city has legislated to mandate the installation of thermostatic water supply systems in public places to prevent burns.

Legislative/Policy language.

烫伤幸存者所面临的身份认同危机，是心理学研究中一个极具挑战性的方向。

The identity crisis faced by burn survivors is a highly challenging direction in psychological research.

Abstract academic discussion.

Synonyms

灼伤烧伤烫热损伤焦伤损创

Antonyms

冻伤痊愈康复完好

Common Collocations

严重烫伤

轻微烫伤

意外烫伤

深二度烫伤

烫伤面积

烫伤药膏

处理烫伤

小心烫伤

大面积烫伤

烫伤愈合

Common Phrases

被烫伤

— To be scalded or burned by something hot.

他被热汤烫伤了。

烫伤口

— The actual wound or opening caused by a burn.

烫伤口需要消毒。

烫伤痕迹

— A scar or mark left by a burn.

他的手臂上有烫伤痕迹。

预防烫伤

— To take steps to avoid burning oneself.

家庭安全要注意预防烫伤。

一度烫伤

— First-degree burn (superficial).

这只是一度烫伤。

烫伤喷雾

— A spray used to treat burns.

这种烫伤喷雾很凉快。

化学烫伤

— A burn caused by chemicals (though '灼伤' is more common).

小心这种强酸，会造成烫伤。

开水烫伤

— A burn specifically caused by boiling water.

最常见的家务事故是开水烫伤。

蒸汽烫伤

— A burn caused by hot steam.

锅炉工要防范蒸汽烫伤。

油烫伤

— A burn caused by hot oil.

炸鱼时要小心油烫伤。

Often Confused With

烫伤 vs 烧伤

Use '烧伤' for fire, '烫伤' for hot liquids/surfaces.

烫伤 vs 晒伤

Use '晒伤' specifically for sunburn.

烫伤 vs 烫发

This means perming hair, using the same '烫' but different context.

Idioms & Expressions

"无"

— Note: '烫伤' is a modern technical/descriptive term and does not appear in traditional four-character idioms. However, related idioms about heat exist.

"赴汤蹈火"

— To go through water and fire; to risk one's life. '汤' here means boiling water.

为了朋友，他愿意赴汤蹈火。

Literary

"如履薄冰"

— As if treading on thin ice; to be extremely cautious. (Related to safety).

他在处理这件大事时如履薄冰。

Formal

"心急吃不了热豆腐"

— Haste makes waste; literally: 'One can't eat hot tofu if they are impatient' (because it will burn/烫 the mouth).

别着急，心急吃不了热豆腐。

Colloquial

"热锅上的蚂蚁"

— Like an ant on a hot pan; extremely anxious.

他急得像热锅上的蚂蚁。

Common

Easily Confused

烫伤 vs 烫

Both relate to heat.

'烫' is an adjective (hot) or action (to scald), '烫伤' is the resulting injury.

这水很烫，会烫伤你的。

烫伤 vs 烧

Both involve heat.

'烧' usually involves fire or burning fuel; '烫' involves contact with something hot.

火烧着了房子 vs. 热水烫伤了手。

烫伤 vs 辣

Sometimes people say spicy food 'burns'.

Chinese uses '辣' (là) for spicy heat, never '烫伤'.

这个菜很辣。

烫伤 vs 疼

Both are felt during a burn.

'疼' is the sensation of pain; '烫伤' is the physical damage.

烫伤的地方很疼。

烫伤 vs 红

Burns look red.

'红' is the color; '烫伤' is the condition.

烫伤后皮肤变红了。

Sentence Patterns

小心 + 烫伤

小心烫伤。

Subject + 被 + Source + 烫伤了

我被茶烫伤了。

Source + 把 + Subject + 烫伤了

热油把他的手烫伤了。

烫伤 + 得很 + Adjective

烫伤得很疼。

造成 + (Degree) + 烫伤

事故造成了严重烫伤。

为了 + 预防 + 烫伤...

为了预防烫伤，请小心。

Subject + 诊断为 + (Degree) + 烫伤

他被诊断为二度烫伤。

由于...导致...大面积烫伤

由于蒸汽泄漏导致了大面积烫伤。

Word Family

Nouns

烫伤 (burn/scald)

伤口 (wound)

伤疤 (scar)

伤员 (injured person)

Verbs

烫 (to scald/iron)

伤 (to hurt/injure)

伤害 (to harm)

烫发 (to perm hair)

Adjectives

烫 (hot to touch)

伤感的 (sentimental/sad)

烫手的 (too hot to handle/troublesome)

烧伤 (fire burn)

晒伤 (sunburn)

摔伤 (fall injury)

碰伤 (bruise)

扭伤 (sprain)

How to Use It

frequency

Common in daily speech and safety contexts.

Common Mistakes

太阳把我烫伤了。 → 太阳把我晒伤了。
Use '晒伤' for sun exposure, '烫伤' for physical heat contact.
面包烫伤了。 → 面包烤焦了。
'烫伤' is only for living things (people/animals).
我烫了。 → 我烫伤了。
'我烫了' can mean 'I have a fever' or 'I permed my hair'. Add '伤' for injury.
他被火烫伤了。 → 他被火烧伤了。
'烧伤' is more appropriate for fire/flames.
烫伤到手了。 → 烫伤手了。
'烫伤' already implies the result, '到' is often redundant here.

Tips

Using '了'

Always add '了' after '烫伤' when the injury has already happened. '我烫伤' sounds incomplete; '我烫伤了' is natural.

Hot Water Safety

In China, be extra careful with '开水' (boiling water) dispensers in hotels and trains to avoid '烫伤'.

Distinguish 烫 and 热

'热' (rè) is warm/hot. '烫' (tàng) is scaldingly hot. Only '烫' leads to '烫伤'.

Signage

Whenever you see '小心烫伤', it is a serious warning. Don't touch the surface nearby.

Cold Water

The first word people shout after a '烫伤' is often '凉水' (cold water). Use it immediately.

Ouch!

The Chinese equivalent of 'Ouch!' when getting burned is '哎呀!' (Āiyā!) or '嘶!' (Sī!).

Radicals

Focus on the 'Fire' radical in '烫'. It's the most important visual cue for the word's meaning.

Context Clues

If you hear '厨房' (kitchen) or '热水' (hot water), expect to hear '烫' or '烫伤'.

Ointment

Learn the word '药膏' (yàogāo) alongside '烫伤' so you can ask for help at a pharmacy.

Empathy

If someone is '烫伤'ed, saying '疼不疼？' (Does it hurt?) is a kind way to show concern.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Tàng' as 'TANK' - if a hot tank of water spills on you, you get a 'Tàng-shāng'. The 'shāng' is the same 'shāng' in 'shāngxīn' (sad/broken heart), because a burn makes you very sad!

Visual Association

Imagine a bowl of hot soup (汤 - tāng) with a fire (火 - huǒ) underneath it. If you touch it, you get a '烫' (tàng) injury. The scar looks like a mark on a person (亻 - shāng).

Word Web

热 (hot) 火 (fire) 水 (water) 痛 (pain) 皮 (skin) 药 (medicine) 医院 (hospital) 医生 (doctor)

Challenge

Try to find 3 objects in your house that could cause a '烫伤' and say '小心烫伤' aloud for each one.

Word Origin

The character 烫 (tàng) is a phono-semantic compound. The '火' (fire) radical at the bottom indicates heat, while '汤' (tāng - soup/hot water) provides the sound and the concept of hot liquid. 伤 (shāng) has the '亻' (person) radical and relates to injury or damage to a person.

Original meaning: To be injured by hot liquid or fire.

Sino-Tibetan (Chinese)

Cultural Context

Always show empathy when discussing injuries. Use a soft tone.

English speakers use 'scald' for liquid and 'burn' for fire. Chinese uses '烫伤' for both liquid and hot surfaces, but '烧伤' for fire.

Safety posters in China's G-series high-speed trains. Common scenes in Chinese TV dramas where a character spills tea to show distress. Traditional Chinese Medicine manuals for household first aid.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Kitchen

小心热锅 (watch out for the hot pot)
油溅出来了 (oil splashed out)
戴上手套 (put on gloves)
别碰炉子 (don't touch the stove)

Hospital

挂急诊 (go to ER)
涂抹药膏 (apply ointment)
包扎伤口 (bandage the wound)
打破伤风针 (get a tetanus shot)

Public Safety

小心烫伤 (caution: scalding)
禁止触摸 (do not touch)
高温危险 (high temperature danger)
紧急出口 (emergency exit)

Childcare

远离热水 (stay away from hot water)
水温正合适 (water temp is just right)
别乱动 (don't move around)
吹一吹 (blow on it)

Workplace

安全第一 (safety first)
穿防护服 (wear protective gear)
蒸汽泄漏 (steam leak)
汇报事故 (report an accident)

Conversation Starters

"你曾经被烫伤过吗？ (Have you ever been burned?)"

"处理烫伤最好的办法是什么？ (What is the best way to treat a burn?)"

"在你们国家，人们用什么药治烫伤？ (In your country, what medicine do people use for burns?)"

"厨房里哪些东西最容易让人烫伤？ (What things in the kitchen are most likely to cause burns?)"

"如果你看到别人烫伤了，你会怎么帮他？ (If you see someone get burned, how would you help them?)"

Journal Prompts

描述一次你或你认识的人被烫伤的经历。 (Describe a time you or someone you know got burned.)

写一段关于厨房安全的小贴士，包括如何预防烫伤。 (Write some kitchen safety tips, including how to prevent burns.)

如果你是医生，你会如何安慰一个严重烫伤的病人？ (If you were a doctor, how would you comfort a severely burned patient?)

讨论为什么在公共场所贴“小心烫伤”的标志很重要。 (Discuss why it's important to have 'Caution: Burn' signs in public places.)

比较中医和西医在处理烫伤方面的不同方法。 (Compare TCM and Western medicine approaches to treating burns.)

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

No, for a sunburn you must use '晒伤' (shàishāng). '烫伤' implies contact with a hot object or liquid.

'烫伤' is generally for hot liquids and steam, while '烧伤' is for fire and chemicals. However, doctors often use them together as '烧烫伤'.

It can be both. As a verb: '我烫伤了' (I got burned). As a noun: '他的烫伤很严重' (His burn is serious).

You say '一度烫伤' (yīdù tàngshāng).

No, for burnt food use '焦了' (jiāole) or '糊了' (húle). '烫伤' is only for skin/tissue.

Rarely. In English we say 'burned by love', but in Chinese we use different words like '伤害' (shānghài) or '打击' (dǎjī).

The most common advice is '冲、脱、泡、盖、送' (Rinse, Remove, Soak, Cover, Transport).

Yes, '烫衣服' means to iron clothes. If you burn yourself while ironing, you would say '被熨斗烫伤了'.

You say '起水泡' (qǐ shuǐpào).

Not always. '烫' just means very hot. Some people like their tea '烫' (very hot), but they don't want a '烫伤'!