熱
heat, temperature, fever, mania, passion
Readings
On'yomi
- ネツ
Kun'yomi
- あつ.い
Nanori
- あた
Meaning
熱 centers on intense heat, whether physical (high temperature, fever) or emotional (passion, mania). The common thread is a state of high energy or excitement.
Most common words using 熱
24 of 434- 熱ねつN5
heat
- 熱いあついN5
hot (to the touch)
- 情熱じょうねつN1
passion; enthusiasm; zeal
- 熱心ねっしんN4
zealous; enthusiastic; ardent; fervent; keen; eager
- 熱中ねっちゅうN3
being enthusiastic about; being wild about; being absorbed in; being engrossed in; being devoted to
- 加熱かねつN3
heating; application of heat
- 熱狂ねっきょう
wild enthusiasm; being crazy about
- 熱意ねついN2
zeal; enthusiasm; ardor; ardour
- 発熱はつねつN1
generation of heat
- 熱帯ねったいN3
tropics
- 白熱はくねつN1
white heat; incandescence; (emitting) white light; white glow
- 熱烈ねつれつN1
ardent; passionate; vehement
- 高熱こうねつN1
high fever
- 断熱だんねつ
insulation
- 熱気ねっきN1
heat; hot air
- 熱湯ねっとうN1
boiling water
- 耐熱たいねつ
heat-resisting
- 熱するねっするN3
to heat; to heat up
- 熱々あつあつ
piping hot; scalding
- 過熱かねつ
overheating; excessive heating
- 熱帯魚ねったいぎょ
tropical fish
- 微熱びねつN1
slight fever
- 熱弁ねつべん
impassioned speech; fervent speech
- 熱戦ねっせん
fierce fight; close contest
Study
Etymology
熱 combines 埶 (a phonetic component with a sense of planting or setting) and 灬 (fire), suggesting heat or warmth. The modern form is consistent with this phono-semantic structure.
Meaning mnemonic
The top part 埶 looks like a person kneeling over a mound of earth, and the bottom 灬 is fire. Imagine someone tending a fire, feeling the intense heat rise—enough to cause a fever or passionate excitement.
Reading mnemonic
For ネツ, picture a net catching all the heat from the fire: net -> ネツ, and the net traps the intense warmth.