wodui

Literal meaning

moisten (and) pile

Definition#

The ripe pu'er process: crude leaf is wetted and heaped in large piles, covered and turned periodically for weeks, so that heat and microbial action darken and soften it. Developed industrially in Yunnan factories in the 1970s and spread through the province; Kunming Tea Factory set down the procedure later promoted province-wide. Duration and moisture determine the 'fermentation degree'.

Translation and usage#

Language	Use	Alternatives & cautions
English	wodui pile fermentation pinyin with a gloss	Also acceptable pile fermentation wet piling wo dui wodui Avoid composting loaded and misleading fermentation (unqualified) ambiguous with oxidation
Deutsch	Wo Dui Fermentation im feuchten Haufen pinyin with a gloss	Also acceptable Haufenfermentation feuchter Haufen Wo Dui
Русский	во дуй ускоренная ферментация во влажной куче pinyin with a gloss	Also acceptable Во Дуй водуй кучевание Avoid вэньдуй искажение; 渥 = во
简体字繁體字	渥堆
日本語	渥堆

Common confusions#

Often described as 'composting'; also often credited to a single date/factory (1973 Kunming vs Menghai) when the history involves several factories.
Readers conflate it with 'fermentation' in black tea, which is enzymatic oxidation.