zhè shì guōdǐ.

In 这是锅底, 这 means this as a pronoun all by itself: This is ...

So the structure is:

• 这 = this
• 是 = is
• 锅底 = pot bottom / soup base

When 这 directly modifies a noun, you usually need a measure word, for example:

• 这个锅底 = this pot bottom

But in 这是锅底, 这 is not directly modifying 锅底. It is the subject of the sentence, so no measure word is needed.

是 is the verb to be in this kind of sentence. It links one noun or pronoun to another.

So:

• 这 = this
• 是 = is
• 锅底 = pot bottom / soup base

This is a very common Chinese pattern:

• A 是 B
• A is B

Examples:

• 这是老师。 = This is the teacher.
• 这是我的书。 = This is my book.

You can understand it that way structurally, but in natural English you would usually add an article like the or a, depending on context.

Chinese does not use articles the way English does. So 锅底 by itself can mean something like:

• the pot bottom
• a pot bottom
• the soup base

The exact English wording depends on context.

锅底 literally means the bottom of a pot:

• 锅 = pot
• 底 = bottom, base

But in real usage, 锅底 can also mean the soup base/broth base in a hot pot context. So the meaning depends a lot on the situation.

For example:

• In a kitchen context: 锅底 may mean the bottom part of the pot.
• In a hot pot restaurant: 锅底 often means the hot pot base/broth.

It is usually treated as a compound word:

• 锅 = pot
• 底 = bottom

Together, 锅底 forms a fixed noun meaning pot bottom or soup base.

Even though you can see the parts clearly, learners should usually remember it as one vocabulary item.

The pinyin is:

• 这 zhè
• 是 shì
• 锅 guō
• 底 dǐ

Tone pattern:

• zhè = 4th tone
• shì = 4th tone
• guō = 1st tone
• dǐ = 3rd tone

A few pronunciation notes:

• zh in zhè is a retroflex sound, not like English z.
• sh in shì is also retroflex, similar to English sh but with the tongue curled back a bit more.
• guō has uo after g; say it smoothly as one syllable.
• dǐ is a 3rd tone, so in careful speech it dips down and rises.

Because 锅底 is already a normal compound noun, and this sentence is just an A 是 B structure.

You do not need 的 between:

• 这 and 是
• 是 and 锅底

Also, 锅底 is not being expressed as a longer possessive phrase like 锅的底部.

Compare:

• 这是锅底。 = This is the pot bottom.
• 这是锅的底部。 = This is the bottom part of the pot.

The first one is shorter and more direct.

Grammatically, it is possible in some contexts, but it often sounds less natural.

一个 is used when you want to classify something as one X:

• 这是一个锅。 = This is a pot.

But 锅底 is usually being identified more specifically, so 这是锅底 is more natural when pointing something out.

If you say 这是一个锅底, it may sound like you are emphasizing that it is one pot bottom as an object/category, which is less common.

Yes, very similar here.

Chinese:

• 这 是 锅底
• This is pot bottom

Natural English:

• This is the pot bottom
• This is the soup base

So this sentence is a nice example where the Chinese word order is close to English:

• subject → 这
• linking verb → 是
• noun phrase → 锅底

Yes.

• 这 = this
• 那 = that

So:

• 这是锅底。 = This is the pot bottom / soup base.
• 那是锅底。 = That is the pot bottom / soup base.

This is a very common substitution pattern for beginners.

Yes, absolutely. 这是锅底。 is a complete, grammatical sentence.

It has:

• a subject: 这
• a verb: 是
• a complement/predicate noun: 锅底

Chinese sentences can be very short, especially when the context is clear. This kind of simple identification sentence is extremely common in everyday speech and in beginner textbooks.