When combined, 重口味 (zhòngkǒuwèi) literally translates to “heavy mouth flavor.” This vivid image of a powerful taste that weighs heavily on the palate is the foundation for its metaphorical extension to describe intense experiences that are heavy on the mind or senses.
The concept of 重口味 exists in contrast to the traditional Chinese aesthetic and dietary ideal of 清淡 (qīngdàn), which means “light and delicate in flavor.” In traditional Chinese medicine and cuisine, 清淡 food is often associated with balance, health, and refinement. 重口味 food, like that from Sichuan or Hunan provinces, is known for its bold, fiery, and numbing spices, representing a different, more intense culinary philosophy. The slang usage of 重口味 rose with the internet, a space where people are exposed to a much wider and more extreme range of global content. It became a useful label for a subculture of people who enjoy things outside the mainstream—be it splatter films, niche fetishes, or morbid humor. A close Western comparison might be a mix of phrases like “hardcore,” “an acquired taste,” or “not for the faint of heart.” However, 重口味 is unique because it's a single, common term that can be used as an adjective for a movie (“This film is too hardcore”), a noun for a preference (“I'm into hardcore stuff”), or a descriptor for a person (“He has some pretty hardcore tastes”). It neatly packages the idea of an intense, perhaps shocking, but not necessarily negative, preference.
重口味 is an informal term used widely in daily conversation and online. Its connotation can be neutral, self-deprecating, or slightly judgmental, depending on the context.