烫手

燙手

tàngshǒu

adjective

Meanings

1 scalding / too hot to touch
2 (figurative) tricky or risky to handle

Characters

Examples

这个杯子烫手,小心。

Zhè ge bēizi tàngshǒu, xiǎoxīn.

This cup is scalding, be careful.

刚出锅的包子很烫手。

Gāng chū guō de bāozi hěn tàngshǒu.

The baozi are scalding right out of the steamer.

这笔生意烫手,别碰。

Zhè bǐ shēngyi tàngshǒu, bié pèng.

This deal is a hot potato — don't touch it.

Tips

usage

Literal use for physical heat; figurative use for risky or scandalous items you want to get rid of fast — similar to English 'hot potato' or 'too hot to handle.' Common idiom: 烫手的山芋 ('scalding yam') = problem nobody wants.

Stroke Order

烫 tàng

手 shǒu