鍋 / 锅
guō
In Chinese, the English phrase "wok" can be translated as 鍋 / 锅 (guō), 鑊 / 镬 or 炒鍋 / 炒锅.
Meaning: large round pan (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 鍋 / 锅 | guō |
| 鑊 / 镬 | huò |
| 炒鍋 / 炒锅 | chǎoguō |
What does it mean word for word?
The term 炒鍋 / 炒锅 is a compound word. It combines 炒 (to stir-fry) with 鍋 (pan or pot), literally meaning "stir-fry pan".
Which one should you use?
鍋 / 锅 is the general term for any pot or pan. In contrast, 炒鍋 / 炒锅 specifically describes the pan used for the technique of stir-frying.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Cantonese-speaking regions like Guangdong or Hong Kong, the form 鑊 / 镬 is commonly used to refer to a wok. In Northern China, the term 炒勺 is used to describe a wok. In Sichuan Province, the term 镬子 is used for a wok. While 鍋 / 锅 is more standard in Mandarin, 鑊 / 镬 is commonly used in Cantonese-speaking regions.
How do you pronounce it?
guō
Did you know?
- In Chinese internet slang, the word 鍋 / 锅 is used to describe a situation where someone is forced to take the blame for a mistake. The phrase 背黑鍋 / 背黑锅, meaning 'to carry the black pot', is the equivalent of the English idiom 'to be a scapegoat'.
- The term for a cooking pot in Malay, 'kuali', is a linguistic relative of the Chinese word for pot, showing a deep historical connection between the two cultures.
- The Cantonese term 鑊 / 镬 is not just a regional variation but has its own distinct character separate from the Mandarin 鍋 / 锅.
Example sentences for Chinese are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wok” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 鍋, 鑊, CC BY-SA 4.0.
