烧烤 (shāo kǎo) literally combines 烧 (shāo, 'to burn' or 'to cook over fire') and 烤 (kǎo, 'to roast' or 'to grill'), emphasizing cooking food directly over flames or hot coals. It refers broadly to barbecue — both the cooking method and the resulting food — commonly featuring skewered meats (like lamb, beef, or chicken), seafood, vegetables, or tofu. Unlike Western barbecuing that often involves slow smoking, Chinese 烧烤 is typically fast, high-heat grilling, often done on street stalls or at home on portable grills.

This word functions as a noun in most contexts: you can order 烧烤, eat 烧烤, or go out for 烧烤. It’s strongly associated with casual, social dining — especially in summer evenings — and carries warm, lively connotations of friendship and relaxation. While it originally implied meat-heavy fare, modern usage includes vegetarian options, though animal-based ingredients remain central to its traditional identity and cultural image.