闷黄悶黃
Term · Processing
sealed yellowing
Literal meaning
stuffy/sealed + yellow
Definition#
Sealed yellowing, the defining step of yellow tea: after kill-green and partial drying, the warm leaf is heaped or wrapped so that it yellows slowly in moist heat, giving yellow leaf and liquor and a mellow taste. A Guangdong draft standard distinguishes dry-blank and wet-blank methods with a first and second yellowing (e.g. 4–6 h at 40–50% moisture, then 20–40 h at 30–40%).
Translation and usage#
| Language | Use | Alternatives & cautions |
|---|---|---|
| English | sealed yellowing heaping warm, moist leaf so it turns yellow translation |
Also acceptable
Avoid fermentation not microbial and distinct from 渥堆 |
| Deutsch | Menhuang feuchtwarmes Gelbwerdenlassen der Blätter pinyin with a gloss |
Also acceptable
|
| Русский | томление томление листа в тепле и влаге translation |
|
| 简体字 | 闷黄 | |
| 繁體字 | 悶黃 | |
| 日本語 | 悶黄 |
Common confusions#
- Babelcarp calls it a wo dui step between sun-drying and heat-drying; yellow tea is not sun-dried, and 闷黄 is not the microbial pile fermentation of 渥堆.
- Local names for the step include 包黄 / 初包 / 复包.