高火
Term · Tasting
high-fire note
Literal meaning
high + fire
Definition#
A Chinese sensory-evaluation descriptor for a strong, scorched or pot-crust (锅巴) roast aroma from drying or roasting slightly hotter or longer than normal. It lies at the border of a fault, short of outright burnt (焦) notes, and is less desirable than an even 足火 roast aroma. One Wuyi roaster uses it for roasting so fierce the tea nears charring, so its severity varies by writer.
Translation and usage#
| Language | Use | Alternatives & cautions |
|---|---|---|
| English | high-fire note scorched aroma from excess heat translation |
Also acceptable
Avoid high roast (as a neutral level) in evaluation vocabulary the term marks excess heat, not a standard roast level |
| Deutsch | Hochfeuer-Note brandiges Aroma durch zu hohe Hitze translation |
Also acceptable
Avoid hohe Röstung (neutral) fault term in Chinese |
| Русский | высокий огонь пригорелый оттенок от избыточного огня translation |
Also acceptable
Avoid сильный огонь (нейтрально) the Chinese term is a fault |
| 简体字繁體字 | 高火 | |
| 日本語 | 高火 |
Common confusions#
- Russian retail uses «Гао Хо» as a neutral 'strong roast' label, contrary to the Chinese sensory meaning.
- Severity differs by source: the Guangdong dancong draft standard treats it as just beyond normal, a Wuyi roaster describes near-charring.
- GB/T 14487-2017 2.4.28 (as quoted in the DB44 draft) gives the English equivalent 'high-fired aroma' and places it slightly above normal roast level (稍高于正常火功), not as a burnt fault.
Terms#
Entries that use this term 2#
安溪铁观音
Anxi Tieguanyin Ānxī Tiěguānyīn
Rolled oolong from the Tieguanyin cultivar, protected as a GI for the whole of Anxi County. GB/T 19598-2025 defines three styles: clean (清香), heavy (浓香) and aged (陈香).
sourced
厦门茶叶进出口
Xiamen Tea Import & Export Xiàmén Cháyè Jìnchūkǒu Yǒuxiàn Gōngsī
State-owned (COFCO / China Tea) oolong blender and exporter in Xiamen, owner of the 海堤 (Haidi, 'Haiti') brand from 1960 and of the 1974 letter codes for export oolong.
sourced