‘Tàng jīn’ (烫金) literally means ‘scalding gold’ — a vivid description of the hot-pressing process used to apply metallic foil onto surfaces. The character 烫 (tàng) refers to heat or scalding, indicating the high temperature required in the stamping process; 金 (jīn) means ‘gold’, representing the metallic foil (often gold-colored, though silver, copper, or other colors are also used). Together, they form a technical term for foil stamping — a decorative printing technique widely used on book covers, business cards, invitations, and luxury packaging.

This technique creates elegant, reflective lettering or designs by pressing heated metal dies onto foil-coated paper or cardboard. Though historically associated with gold, modern 烫金 can use various metallic or pigment foils. It’s valued for its premium appearance and tactile quality, distinguishing high-end printed materials from standard ones. The term is commonly encountered in graphic design, publishing, and print production contexts in Chinese-speaking regions.