kǎoròu: 烤肉 - Barbecue, Roast Meat, Grilled Meat

• Keywords: kaorou, kǎo ròu, 烤肉, Chinese barbecue, Chinese BBQ, grilled meat, roast meat, Korean BBQ in China, social dining, Chinese food culture, eating out in China
• Summary: 烤肉 (kǎoròu) is the Chinese word for barbecue or grilled meat. More than just a type of food, it represents a highly popular and interactive social event in China. Whether it's enjoying lamb skewers from a street vendor or gathering with friends at a restaurant to grill thin slices of meat at your table, 烤肉 is a fun, lively, and delicious way to connect with people.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): kǎo ròu
• Part of Speech: Noun, Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: Meat cooked over a fire or on a grill; barbecue.
• In a Nutshell: 烤肉 is the go-to term for “barbecue” in Chinese. It literally means “roast meat” and covers everything from a single grilled skewer to a full-blown feast. The term evokes a feeling of casual, communal fun—the sizzle of meat, the chatter of friends, and the satisfying aroma of a shared meal being cooked right before your eyes.

• 烤 (kǎo): This character means “to roast, to grill, to bake.” On the left is the fire radical, 火 (huǒ), indicating cooking with heat. On the right, 考 (kǎo) provides the pronunciation. Together, they create the clear image of cooking something over a fire.
• 肉 (ròu): This character means “meat.” It's a pictogram that originally depicted a slab of meat with lines representing the muscle fibers.
• The two characters combine literally and logically to mean “fire-cooked meat,” or barbecue.

In China, 烤肉 is less of a solo culinary pursuit and more of a collective social experience. It embodies the cultural value of `热闹 (rènao)`—a lively, bustling, and cheerful atmosphere. A key difference from a typical Western barbecue is the format. While an American BBQ might involve one person managing a large grill in a backyard, Chinese 烤肉 is often enjoyed at a restaurant where a grill is built into the center of the table. Everyone participates, cooking their own small, thinly sliced pieces of meat and vegetables. This format promotes interaction, conversation, and a shared experience from start to finish. This communal cooking is similar to another popular Chinese dining style, `火锅 (huǒguō)` or hot pot. Both activities place the “kitchen” at the center of the table, turning the meal into a collaborative event that strengthens bonds between friends, family, and colleagues. It's a meal and a team-building activity rolled into one.

烤肉 is an extremely common term used in everyday life, especially when making social plans.

• As a Noun (The food): When you're talking about the dish itself.
  • e.g., “今天晚饭我们吃烤肉。” (Jīntiān wǎnfàn wǒmen chī kǎoròu.) - “We're having barbecue for dinner tonight.”
• As a Verb (The activity): When you're talking about the action of going to have a barbecue.
  • e.g., “我们去烤肉吧！” (Wǒmen qù kǎoròu ba!) - “Let's go barbecue!”
• Types of 烤肉: The term is often used with a country prefix to specify the style, as both Korean and Japanese barbecue are immensely popular in China.
  • `韩式烤肉 (Hánshì kǎoròu)` - Korean BBQ (known for kimchi, lettuce wraps, and specific marinades).
  • `日式烤肉 (Rìshì kǎoròu)` - Japanese BBQ (Yakiniku), often focusing on high-quality cuts of beef.
  • `中式烤肉 (Zhōngshì kǎoròu)` - Chinese BBQ, which can range from Xinjiang-style cumin lamb skewers (`羊肉串`) to regional variations.

• Example 1:
  • 我非常喜欢吃烤肉。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ fēicháng xǐhuān chī kǎoròu.
  • English: I really love eating barbecue.
  • Analysis: A simple statement of preference. `吃 (chī)` is “to eat,” so `吃烤肉` means “to eat barbecue.”
• Example 2:
  • 周末我们一起去烤肉怎么样？
  • Pinyin: Zhōumò wǒmen yīqǐ qù kǎoròu zěnmeyàng?
  • English: How about we go get barbecue together this weekend?
  • Analysis: This is a classic social invitation. `去烤肉` means “to go barbecue” and is used to suggest the activity.
• Example 3:
  • 这家餐厅的烤肉特别地道。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā cāntīng de kǎoròu tèbié dìdào.
  • English: This restaurant's barbecue is particularly authentic.
  • Analysis: `地道 (dìdào)` is a great word meaning “authentic” or “genuine,” often used to praise food.
• Example 4:
  • 夏天的晚上，很多人喜欢在外面一边喝啤酒，一边吃烤肉。
  • Pinyin: Xiàtiān de wǎnshàng, hěn duō rén xǐhuān zài wàimiàn yībiān hē píjiǔ, yībiān chī kǎoròu.
  • English: On summer nights, a lot of people like to be outside, drinking beer while eating barbecue.
  • Analysis: This sentence paints a vivid picture of a common social scene in China. The `一边…一边…` (yībiān…yībiān…) structure means doing two actions at the same time.
• Example 5:
  • 你更喜欢韩式烤肉还是日式烤肉？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ gèng xǐhuān Hánshì kǎoròu háishì Rìshì kǎoròu?
  • English: Do you prefer Korean barbecue or Japanese barbecue?
  • Analysis: Shows how prefixes are added to specify the style of barbecue. `还是 (háishì)` means “or” in a question.
• Example 6:
  • 闻到烤肉的香味，我的口水都快流出来了。
  • Pinyin: Wéndào kǎoròu de xiāngwèi, wǒ de kǒushuǐ dōu kuài liú chūlái le.
  • English: Smelling the aroma of the barbecue, my mouth is already starting to water.
  • Analysis: A very descriptive and native-sounding phrase. `口水都快流出来了` is a common idiom for “my mouth is watering.”
• Example 7:
  • 我们点了牛肉、猪肉和一些蔬菜来烤肉。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen diǎnle niúròu, zhūròu hé yīxiē shūcài lái kǎoròu.
  • English: We ordered beef, pork, and some vegetables to barbecue.
  • Analysis: Here, `来烤肉 (lái kǎoròu)` is used to state the purpose of the ingredients – “for the purpose of barbecuing.”
• Example 8:
  • 虽然烤肉很好吃，但是你不能吃太多，不健康。
  • Pinyin: Suīrán kǎoròu hěn hǎochī, dànshì nǐ bù néng chī tài duō, bù jiànkāng.
  • English: Although barbecue is delicious, you can't eat too much; it's unhealthy.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates the `虽然…但是…` (suīrán…dànshì…) “although…but…” sentence structure.
• Example 9:
  • 这家店的特色是自助烤肉，非常划算。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā diàn de tèsè shì zìzhù kǎoròu, fēicháng huásuàn.
  • English: This shop's specialty is all-you-can-eat barbecue; it's a great deal.
  • Analysis: `自助 (zìzhù)` means “self-service,” and in a food context, it means “buffet” or “all-you-can-eat.”
• Example 10:
  • 聚会的时候，吃烤肉的气氛总是很热烈。
  • Pinyin: Jùhuì de shíhòu, chī kǎoròu de qìfēn zǒngshì hěn rèliè.
  • English: During a get-together, the atmosphere when eating barbecue is always very enthusiastic.
  • Analysis: This sentence connects the food directly to the cultural concept of a lively, warm atmosphere (`气氛热烈`).

• 烤肉 (kǎoròu) vs. 烧烤 (shāokǎo): These terms are very similar and often used interchangeably. However, there's a slight difference. `烤肉` literally means “roast meat,” so it emphasizes the meat. `烧烤 (shāokǎo)` is a broader term for “grilling” or “barbecue” in general and more strongly includes vegetables, seafood, tofu, and bread. You'll often hear `烧烤` used for street-side skewers (`串儿 chuànr`), which feature a wide variety of ingredients. If you're talking specifically about a Korean BBQ restaurant meal, `烤肉` is more precise.
• Not the same as American BBQ: When an English speaker says “BBQ,” they might picture slow-smoked ribs or pulled pork with a thick, sweet sauce. Chinese `烤肉` is almost always fast-grilled over direct heat, often with a dry spice rub (like cumin and chili powder) or a light, savory marinade. Avoid the mistake of expecting Southern-style barbecue sauce.
• Verb Usage: English speakers might be tempted to say `我烤肉` (Wǒ kǎoròu) to mean “I'm barbecuing.” While grammatically possible, it's far more common and natural for Chinese speakers to say `我们去吃烤肉` (Wǒmen qù chī kǎoròu - “We're going to eat barbecue”) or `我们在烤肉` (Wǒmen zài kǎoròu - “We are in the process of barbecuing,” usually said during the activity).

• 烧烤 (shāokǎo) - A nearly synonymous, slightly broader term for “barbecue/grilling” that includes non-meat items.
• 串儿 (chuànr) - Skewers. A very popular form of street-side barbecue, especially in northern China.
• 羊肉串 (yángròuchuàn) - Lamb skewers, the quintessential Chinese street barbecue snack.
• 火锅 (huǒguō) - Hot pot. The other major interactive, social dining style, often seen as the “boiling” counterpart to `烤肉`'s “grilling.”
• 热闹 (rènao) - Lively, bustling. The ideal atmosphere for a `烤肉` meal with friends.
• 聚会 (jùhuì) - A get-together or party. `烤肉` is a very common activity for a `聚会`.
• 请客 (qǐngkè) - To treat someone (to a meal, a movie, etc.). You might say “我请客，我们去吃烤肉” (I'll treat, let's go eat barbecue).
• 孜然 (zīrán) - Cumin. The dominant spice used on many Chinese-style barbecue skewers, especially lamb.
• 自助餐 (zìzhùcān) - Buffet. You can often find all-you-can-eat barbecue restaurants (`自助烤肉`).
• 夜市 (yèshì) - Night market. A prime location to find delicious street-style `烤肉` skewers.