Translation guide
The English word 'steaming' can describe cooking with steam, emitting vapor, or feeling very hot. This guide covers natural Japanese expressions for each meaning.
To cook food using steam, as in steaming vegetables or buns.
To give off steam, as from a hot drink, bath, or engine.
Literally 'to raise steam', used for hot food, drinks, or baths.
コーヒーが湯気を立てている。
The coffee is steaming.
風呂が湯気を立てている。
The bath is steaming.
To feel extremely hot, as in sweltering heat or after exercise.
The verb 蒸す (musu) is only for cooking. To say 'I'm steaming' (feeling hot), use expressions like 暑くてたまらない or 汗だく. Using 蒸す for a person sounds like you are being cooked.
肉まんを蒸してください。
Please steam the pork buns.
Refers to steamed dishes or steaming as a cooking method.
蒸し料理はヘルシーです。
Steamed dishes are healthy.
A steamer (the utensil).
蒸し器でシュウマイを作る。
I make shumai in a steamer.
More literal 'to emit steam', often for machines.
機関車が蒸気を出している。
The locomotive is steaming.
Intransitive: steam rises. Describes the state.
鍋から湯気が立っている。
Steam is rising from the pot.
Hot and humid, muggy. Used for weather.
今日は蒸し暑い。
It's steaming hot today.
So hot I can't stand it. General intense heat.
外は暑くてたまらない。
It's steaming hot outside.
To become drenched in sweat, often implying steaming from heat/exertion.
運動して汗だくになった。
I got steaming hot and sweaty from exercise.