烤
kǎo
In Chinese, the English phrase 'baking' can be translated using several different words depending on the context. If unsure, use 烤 (kǎo). Wiktionary also lists 烘 (hōng) and 焙燒 / 焙烧 (bèishāo).
Meaning: action in which something is baked (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 烤 | kǎo |
| 烘 | hōng |
| 焙燒 / 焙烧 | bèishāo |
| 烘烤 | hōngkǎo |
In a culinary sense, it is used for making food like a 蛋糕 (cake) or 饼干 (cookies). Metaphorically, 烤 is also used idiomatically to describe 'baking' hot weather or scorching temperatures.
Which one should you use?
烤 is the most common, general-purpose verb used for baking, roasting or grilling food. 烘 is more specific, often implying the use of dry heat to dry out or roast something, such as roasting coffee or drying beans. 烘烤 is a compound form. Finally, 焙烧 (also written as 焙燒) is a formal, technical or industrial term used for high-temperature processes like calcining minerals.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Taiwanese Mandarin, the term 烘培 is a regional variation used for baking.
How do you pronounce it?
kǎo
Did you know?
- When describing a person being 'baked' by the sun, you might use 晒 instead of 烤, even though both imply heat.
- The character 考 used in the phonetic part of 烤 actually means 'to examine' or 'to test' in modern Chinese.
- Although 'baking' is a common culinary task, the specific word 焙 is often used in the context of traditional tea processing, such as roasting tea leaves.
Examples in context
- 请开一下窗。这里像烤炉一样热。Open the window. It's baking hot in here.This sentence shows how 烤 can be used to describe heat.Tatoeba #3289579 by sadhen, translation #274215 by sundown
- 谢谢你烤的美味蛋糕。Thank you for baking this delicious cake.This sentence uses 烤 in the context of baking a 蛋糕.Tatoeba #1990260 by sunnywqing, translation #1716451 by Amastan
- 將它們放在烤盤上並且塗抹蛋白。Put them on the baking pan and smear them with egg whites.This sentence uses 烤 to refer to a baking pan.Tatoeba #768231 by Martha, translation #1159730 by tinytina
- 我在烤蛋糕I am baking a cake
- 烤30分钟Bake for 30 minutes
- 我在烤一个蛋糕给我朋友过生日。I'm baking a cake for my friend's birthday.
- 饼干要烤多久呢？How long should I bake the cookies?
Example conversation
In a cozy kitchen, Yu Ting is preparing to make cookies.
- 雨婷 Yuting志强，我想试着烤饼干。Zhìqiáng, wǒ xiǎng shìzhe kǎo bǐnggān.Zhiqiang, I want to try baking cookies.
- 志强 Zhiqiang好啊，我可以帮你吗？Hǎo a, wǒ kěyǐ bāng nǐ ma?Okay, can I help you?
- 雨婷 Yuting可以，请帮我拿面粉。Kěyǐ, qǐng bāng wǒ ná miànfěn.Yes, please help me get the flour.
- 志强 Zhiqiang没问题，雨婷。Méi wèntí, Yǔtíng.No problem, Yu Ting.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “baking” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 烤, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
