Readings: ジョウ (Onyomi), む.す, む.らす, む.れる (Kunyomi)
Meaning: steam; to steam; humid
The kanji 蒸 combines 臼 (mortar) with 烝 (a component representing rising steam/heat, composed of 丞 (to assist, here indicating rising) and 火 (fire) at the bottom). It visually depicts steam rising, often from a mortar, historically associated with steaming food.
View JLPT N2 Kanji ListHow to Write – Stroke Order
The kanji 蒸 has 13 strokes. It begins with the top radical 臼, followed by the components below it, drawing the top horizontal stroke first, then the left and right vertical strokes, followed by the middle cross-stroke, and finally the bottom four dots (fire radical variant).
Kanji Details
| Radical | 臼 (うす) |
|---|---|
| Strokes | 13 |
| JLPT Level | N2 |
| Grade | S2 |
Readings with English Transcription
Onyomi (Chinese readings)
- ジョウ (JŌ)
Kunyomi (Japanese readings)
- むす (musu)
- むらす (murasu)
- むれる (mureru)
Common Words Using 蒸
Onyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 蒸気 | じょうき | steam; vapor |
| 蒸発 | じょうはつ | evaporation |
| 蒸留 | じょうりゅう | distillation |
| 蒸着 | じょうちゃく | vapor deposition |
| 蒸散 | じょうさん | transpiration (botany) |
| 蒸気機関 | じょうききかん | steam engine |
| 蒸留水 | じょうりゅうすい | distilled water |
| 蒸発皿 | じょうはつざら | evaporating dish |
| 蒸気圧 | じょうきあつ | vapor pressure |
| 蒸気機関車 | じょうききかんしゃ | steam locomotive |
Kunyomi Readings
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 蒸す | むす | to steam (transitive) |
| 蒸らす | むらす | to steam (something for a while); to steep |
| 蒸れる | むれる | to be steamed; to get stuffy/humid (intransitive) |
| 蒸し暑い | むしあつい | humid; sultry |
| 蒸しパン | むしパン | steamed bread |
| 蒸し餃子 | むしぎょうざ | steamed dumplings |
| 蒸し料理 | むしりょうり | steamed dish |
| 蒸し米 | むしごめ | steamed rice |
| 蒸しイモ | むしいも | steamed potato |
| 蒸しタオル | むしタオル | hot steamed towel |
Example Sentences
Japanese: お湯が蒸気になって上がっていく。
Kana: おゆがじょうきになってあがっていく。
Romaji: O-yu ga jōki ni natte agatte iku.
English: The hot water turns into steam and rises.
Japanese: この料理は蒸して作ります。
Kana: このりょうりはむしてつくります。
Romaji: Kono ryōri wa mushite tsukurimasu.
English: This dish is made by steaming.
Japanese: ご飯を蒸らしてから食べましょう。
Kana: ごはんをむらしてからたべましょう。
Romaji: Gohan o murashite kara tabemashō.
English: Let’s eat after letting the rice steam.
Japanese: 梅雨の時期は蒸し暑い日が多い。
Kana: つゆのじきはむしあついひがおおい。
Romaji: Tsuyu no jiki wa mushiatsui hi ga ōi.
English: There are many humid days during the rainy season.
Japanese: サウナは蒸し風呂のようだ。
Kana: サウナはむしぶろのようだ。
Romaji: Sauna wa mushiburo no yō da.
English: A sauna is like a steam bath.
Japanese: 彼女は蒸しタオルで顔を温めた。
Kana: かのじょはむしタオルでかおをあたためた。
Romaji: Kanojo wa mushi taoru de kao o atatameta.
English: She warmed her face with a hot steamed towel.
Japanese: 蒸し器を使って野菜を調理する。
Kana: むしきをつかってやさいをちょうりする。
Romaji: Mushiki o tsukatte yasai o chōri suru.
English: I cook vegetables using a steamer.
Japanese: コップの内側が蒸気で曇っている。
Kana: コップのうちがわがじょうきでくもっている。
Romaji: Koppu no uchigawa ga jōki de kumotte iru.
English: The inside of the glass is cloudy with steam.
Japanese: 蒸し暑い夜は寝苦しい。
Kana: むしあつよるはねぐるしい。
Romaji: Mushiatsui yoru wa negurushii.
English: Humid nights make it difficult to sleep.
Japanese: この部屋は空気がこもって蒸れる。
Kana: このへやはくうきがこもってむれる。
Romaji: Kono heya wa kūki ga komotte mureru.
English: The air is trapped in this room and it gets stuffy.
Related Grammar & kanji list
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