Meanings
adjectivechao ta (comparative more chao ta, superlative most chao ta)
comparative more chao ta · superlative most chao ta · alternative chow ta · alternative chao tah · alternative chow tah · alternative chao tar · alternative chow tar
- SingaporecolloquialBurnt and charred (e.g., from overcooking).
The 'chao ta' (burnt) portions of the bak kwa indicate that the meat has been exposed to extremely high temperatures.
2015 February 18, Andrea Seet, quoting Dr Wong Seng Weng, “How many floors to walk up to burn off that bak kwa? A guide to post-CNY exercise”, in The New Paper, Singapore
Origin
- Hokkien臭焦
- Englishchao ta
From Hokkien 臭焦 (chhàu-ta).
More words from Hokkien
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
chao ta. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chao%20ta
MLA
“chao ta.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chao%20ta. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “chao ta,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chao%20ta.
Source: chao ta on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.