Taxonomy of meanings for 熱:  

  • 熱 rè (OC: ŋjed MC: ȵiɛt) 如列切 入 廣韻:【釋名曰熱𤑔也如火所燒𤑔如列切二 】
    • HOT
      • nabstativewarm weather; HF 8.8.48: (the onset of) warm and pleasant weather; heat
      • v[adN]something hot
      • vadNwarm
      • vibe burning hot; be sizzling hot; be extremely warm (of clothes)
      • vichangebecome hotter; become (uncomfortably) hot
      • vi0there is heat, the weather is hot; it is hot
    • ILLNESS
      • nabstativefever

    Additional information about 熱

    說文解字:

      Criteria
    • WEATHER

      There is no commonly used general concept for the weather in pre-Buddhist Chinese. The closest we come is perhaps qì 氣 as in ZUO 天有六氣, but consider the whole passage:

      天有六氣, (In the same way) there are six heavenly influences,

      降生五味, which descend and produce the five tastes,

      發為五色, go forth in the five colours,

      徵為五聲。 and are verified in the five notes;

      淫生六疾。 but when they are in excess, they produce the six diseases.

      六氣曰陰、陽、風、雨、晦、明也, Those six influences are denominated the yin, the yang, wind, rain, obscurity, and brightness.

      分為四時, In their separation, they form the four seasons;

      序為五節, in their order, they form the five (elementary) terms.

      過則為菑: When any of them is in excess, there ensues calamity.

      陰淫寒疾, An excess of the yin leads to diseases of the cold;

      陽淫熱疾, of the yang, to diseases of heat;

      風淫末疾, of wind, to diseases of the extremities;

      雨淫腹疾, of rain, to diseases of the belly;

      晦淫惑疾, of obscurity, to diseases of delusion;

      明淫心疾。 of brightness to diseases of the mind.

    • COLD

      1. The standard current word referring to coldness is hán 寒 (ant. wēn 溫, rè 熱 "warm").

      2. Lěng 冷 refers to anything fresh and cool rather than rè 熱 "unpleasantly hot".

      3. Dòng 凍 describes a very high degree of coldness, typically below the freezing point of water.

      4. Liáng 涼 (ant. wēn 溫 "lukewarm") describes a mild form of coldness, prototypically that of a cool breeze liáng fēng 涼風.

      5. Qīng 清 (ant. rù 溽 "unpleasantly humid and warm") describes a mild, fresh coolness of climate rather than of liquids or solids.

    • HOT

      1. Probably the most general word referrring to objective high temperature or heat is rè 熱 (ant. lěng 冷 "cold").

      2. Wēn 溫 (ant. liáng 涼 "cool") is mild heat.

      3. Nuǎn 暖 (ant. liáng 涼 "cool") is very mild heat.

      4. Yán 炎 is extreme heat.

      5. Shǔ 暑 (ant. hán 寒 "cold") refers to perceived heat, which often relates to humidity in the air as well as objective temperature.

      6. Xū 煦 and hé 和 refer to temperate, comfortable, and warm temperatures or climates.

      Word relations
    • Ant: (HOT)寒/COLD The standard current word referring to coldness is hán 寒 (ant. standardly shǔ 暑, but also wēn 溫, rè 熱 "warm").
    • Ant: (HOT)冷/COLD Lěng 冷 refers to anything fresh and cool rather than rè 熱 "unpleasantly hot".
    • Contrast: (HOT)暖 / 暖/HOT Nuǎn 暖/煖 (ant. liáng 涼"cool") is very mild heat.
    • Assoc: (HOT)燀/HOT
    • Assoc: (HOT)暑/HOT Shǔ 暑 (ant. hán 寒 "cold") refers to perceived heat, which often relates to humidity in the air as well as objective temperature.