烤肉 (kǎo ròu) literally means 'roasted meat' or 'grilled meat' — 烤 (kǎo) means 'to roast, grill, or bake' over direct heat, and 肉 (ròu) means 'meat'. Together, they refer to meat that has been cooked using dry heat, typically over charcoal, gas, or an electric grill. It’s a broad term covering many preparations: beef, pork, lamb, chicken, or even offal, often marinated and served on skewers, in wraps, or as part of a hot pot or barbecue spread.

This word is commonly used in casual and social contexts — think street food stalls, family barbecues, or Korean- or Mongolian-style grilling restaurants in China. While it can refer to any grilled meat, it’s especially associated with communal dining and outdoor cooking. Unlike 烧烤 (shāo kǎo), which emphasizes the *act* of barbecuing (and may include vegetables or seafood), 烤肉 focuses specifically on the grilled *meat* itself as food.