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道Nihongo Path
蒸

蒸·steam, steam-cook, be humid

On-yomi
ジョウ
Kun-yomi
む(す)む(れる)む(らす)

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.

13 strokes, numbered in writing order. Data: KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
蒸気じょうきsteam, vapor
蒸し暑いむしあついhot and humid
蒸すむすto steam (food)
蒸発じょうはつevaporation

Example sentences

  1. 今日はとても蒸し暑いですね。

    きょうはとてもむしあついですね。

    It's terribly hot and humid today, isn't it?

  2. 野菜を十分蒸してから食べます。

    やさいをじゅうぶんむしてからたべます。

    I steam the vegetables thoroughly before eating them.

  3. 水は熱すると蒸発して蒸気になる。

    みずはねっするとじょうはつしてじょうきになる。

    When water is heated it evaporates and becomes steam.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

  • 蒸烝蒸 is 烝 with the grass radical 艹 on top; the four dots at the base are the fire radical.

Common mistakes

  • Reading 蒸発 as *じょうばつ — it is じょうはつ
  • Using 蒸し暑い for plain heat; without humidity it is just 暑い

Memory aid

Picture it

Grass (艹) above, fire dots (灬) below: plants held over a flame until the water rises off them as steam.

Vocabulary using this kanji

Quick check

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What does the kanji 蒸 mean?