為什麼鐵氟龍什麼都沾不上？

What does “不粘锅 (buzhanguo)” mean in Chinese?

This explainer about Teflon centres on the 不粘锅 (bùzhānguō), the non-stick pan in your kitchen. The word reads exactly like what it does: 不 (bù) “not” + 粘 (zhān) “stick” + 锅 (guō) “pan”, a pan things don’t stick to. The slippery coating is 特氟龙 (Teflon), whose tight carbon-fluorine bonds simply ignore the egg.

The real treasure is 锅 (guō), one of the most Chinese words there is: 炒锅 (wok), 火锅 (hotpot), 高压锅 (pressure cooker). It even powers a famous bit of slang, 背锅 (bēi guō), “to carry the pot”, meaning to take the blame for something that wasn’t your fault. One kitchen word opens a whole pantry.