How to say "boil" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 沸くわくgodan verb, intransitive verbIntransitive: the water itself grows hot and comes to a boil. Use it for water reaching the boil, with the liquid as the subject; to heat or boil water deliberately, use 沸かす.
- 茹でるゆでるichidan verb, transitive verbTransitive: to boil something in hot water, as with eggs or vegetables. This is your verb for cooking food by boiling it, not for heating the water itself.
- 煮るにるichidan verb, transitive verbTransitive: to cook food in liquid by boiling, simmering or stewing. It often describes gentle simmering or stewing, so think of dishes cooked slowly in liquid rather than a fast, rolling boil.
- 沸かすわかすgodan verb, transitive verbTransitive: to boil or heat a liquid — to boil water, heat a bath, prepare a hot drink. It is the deliberate counterpart of 沸く, which describes the water boiling of itself.
- 煮立つにたつgodan verb, intransitive verbIntransitive: the liquid in a pot comes to a boil or simmers as a dish cooks. Use it for the cooking liquid boiling up in the pot, not for the cook's own actions.
For water itself boiling use 「沸く」, or 「沸かす」 when you boil or heat it; for cooking food in boiling water use 「茹でる」; for simmering or stewing use 「煮る」, with 「煮立つ」 for the pot coming to a boil.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 沸くわくto grow hot (e.g. water)
- 茹でるゆでるto boil (something in hot water)
- 煮るにるto boil
- 沸かすわかすto boil
- 煮立つにたつto boil
- 吹き出物ふきでもの(skin) eruption
- 腫れはれswelling
- 煎ずるせんずるto boil
- ゆだるto boil
- たぎるto boil
- おできboil
- 煮えたぎるにえたぎるto boil
- 煮え立つにえたつto boil
- 煎じるせんじるto boil
- 煮えくり返るにえくりかえるto boil
- たぎらすto boil
- 腫れ物はれものswelling
- 出物でものrash
- 腫物しゅもつswelling
- 疽腫そしょうswelling
- 癤せつfuruncle
- できものtumour
- 根太ねぶと(skin) boil
- 炊くたくto boil
See also
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