wok6 hei3鑊氣镬气
Jyutpingwok6 hei3
Yalewohk hei
Definition
Wok hei; the heat and flavor produced by cooking with a wok over a high flame.
- the heat, aroma, and flavor imparted by cooking over high heat in a wok
- slangthe possibility of failure or disaster
colloquialfooddim sum
How it's used
Wok hei literally translates to breath of the wok and describes the complex, smoky aroma imparted to food by high-heat stir-frying. It is considered the hallmark of a skilled chef and is nearly impossible to replicate on standard home kitchen equipment. You will frequently hear it used as a benchmark for judging the quality of Cantonese stir-fry dishes.
Examples
The stir-fried rice noodles from this restaurant have a great wok hei.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the slang term 大鑊, which means a big disaster or a serious problem. While both contain the character 鑊, they are unrelated in meaning and context.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- NegationHow to say no, not, didn't, and don't in Cantonese. The four main negation words and when to use each one.
- Numbers and moneyCounting, talking about money, and asking how much things cost. Includes the two words for two and the everyday words for dollars and cents.
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
