Wok Hei
/ˌwɒk ˈheɪ/noun
A distinctive smoky, savory flavor imparted to food by intense cooking in a hot wok.
Did you know?The Cantonese word hei means “breath” or “energy,” linking this culinary idea to the same Chinese concept known in English as qi.
Etymological Timeline
Old Chinese
Old Chinese
氣
“Air, breath, vapor, or vital energy”
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese
鑊
“A large cooking cauldron or metal pot”
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese
氣
“Breath, air, or life-force energy”
Modern Cantonese
Cantonese
鑊氣 (wok6 hei3)
“The breath or energy of a wok, especially its intense cooking aroma and flavor”
20th Century
English
wok hei
“The characteristic smoky flavor produced by high-heat wok cooking”
Modern English
English
wok hei
“A culinary term for the concentrated aroma and taste created by wok-fired cooking”