earthen stove; lowest mess standard
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
2 senses · 5 examplesnoun
a large, fixed stove or hearth built from brick and earth
Typically refers to traditional cooking stoves in rural households or communal kitchens, often contrasting with modern gas stoves.
Nǎi奶
nai奶
xǐ喜
huān欢
yòng用
xiāng乡
xià下
de的
lǎo老
shì式
dà大
zào灶
shāo烧
fàn饭
。
Grandma likes to cook using the old-fashioned earthen stove in the countryside.
Yǐ以
qián前
，
měi每
gè个
cūn村
zi子
dōu都
yǒu有
jǐ几
gè个
gōng公
yòng用
dà大
zào灶
。
In the past, every village had a few public cooking stoves.
noun
the lowest tier or standard of food provisions in a collective mess or cafeteria system
A historical term used in military, school, or workplace canteens to denote the most basic meal plan, typically with simpler and cheaper food compared to higher tiers.
Nà那
shí时
hou候
，
wǒ我
men们
xué学
sheng生
dōu都
zhǐ只
néng能
chī吃
dà大
zào灶
。
Back then, we students could only have meals from the lowest mess standard.
Zài在
lián连
duì队
lǐ里
，
dà大
bù部
fen分
zhàn战
shì士
dōu都
zài在
dà大
zào灶
jiù就
cān餐
。
In the company, most soldiers ate at the lowest-grade mess.
Show 1 more exampleShow fewer examples
Dà大
zào灶
de的
huǒ伙
shí食
jiǎn简
dān单
，
dàn但
néng能
chī吃
bǎo饱
。
The food from the lowest standard was simple but filling.