These words all mean to damage, injure, destroy or kill sb/sth with heat or fire. 以上各词均含因高温或火导致损坏、损伤、毁灭之义。

• burn to damage, injure, destroy or kill sb/sth with fire, heat or acid; to be damaged, etc. by fire, heat or acid 指烧（或灼）坏、烧（或灼）伤、烧（或灼）死：◆She burned all his letters. 她把他的信全部付之一炬。◆The house burned down in 1995. 那所房子在 1995 年烧毁了。
• char [usually passive] to make sth black by burning it; to become black by burning 指（使）烧黑、烧焦：◆The bodies had been charred beyond recognition. 这些尸体已烧焦，无法辨认。
• scald to burn part of your body with very hot liquid or steam 指被高温液体或气体烫伤
• scorch to burn and slightly damage a surface by making it too hot 指把物体表面烫坏、烧煳、烤焦：◆I scorched my dress when I was ironing it. 我把自己的连衣裙熨焦了。
• singe to burn the surface of sth slightly, usually by mistake; to be burnt in this way 尤指不小心把物体表面烤焦、烫煳：◆He singed his hair as he tried to light his cigarette. 他点烟时把头发给燎了。

scorch or singe? 用 scorch 还是 singe？

• Things are scorched by heat or fire. Things can only be singed by fire or a flame. * scorch 指高温烫坏或火烧煳；singe 仅指火或火舌烧焦。

Patterns

• to burn/scald yourself/your hand
• to burn/scorch/singe your hair/clothes
• burnt out/charred/scorched remains/ruins/buildings