a container with a lid, a handle and a spout, used for boiling water （烧水用的）壶，水壶 
an electric kettle 电水壶 - (British English)
I'll put the kettle on (= start boiling some water) and make some tea. 我要烧壶水沏茶。 I'll just boil the kettle. 我这就去把水烧上。 She made herself a sandwich while she waited for the kettle to boil. 她在等水烧开的时候给自己做了一个三明治。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- electric
- fill
- plug in
- put on
- …
- boil
- sing
- whistle
- …
Word OriginOld English cetel, cietel, of Germanic origin, based on Latin catillus, diminutive of catinus ‘deep container for cooking or serving food’. In Middle English the word's form was influenced by Old Norse ketill.
Idioms
a different kettle of fish
- (informal)
a completely different situation or person from the one previously mentioned 另一码事；截然不同的人
the pot calling the kettle black
- (saying, informal)
used to say that you should not criticize somebody for a fault that you have yourself 锅笑壶黑；五十步笑百步；乌鸦说猪黑