Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

wok hei

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.50 in modern English

Syllables: wok hei
IPA

16

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

1

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The slightly seared flavour imparted to food that has been traditionally cooked in a seasoned wok.

Uncountable

Example Sentences

"Seafood flavors combine with the pork stock and it's simmered until the liquid evaporates and the contents are brought just to the brink of burning, resulting in creamy-textured noodles and a magic boost of wok hei flavor."

Etymology

Borrowed from Cantonese 鑊氣 /镬气 (wok6 hei3).

Word Breakdown

Root: 鑊氣

Usage

Uncountable

Questions

What does wok hei mean?: The slightly seared flavour imparted to food that has been traditionally cooked in a seasoned wok.
Where does wok hei come from?: Borrowed from Cantonese 鑊氣 /镬气 (wok6 hei3).

How to pronounce wok hei

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “wok hei”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “wok hei”.
Repeat and practice — Say “wok hei” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.