麻油 (má yóu) literally means 'hemp oil', but in modern Chinese it almost always refers to sesame oil — a fragrant, golden-brown cooking oil made from toasted sesame seeds. Though the character 麻 originally meant hemp or flax, it has long been used in compound words for sesame (e.g., 芝麻 zhīma), likely due to historical linguistic overlap and similar seed textures. The second character 油 simply means 'oil'.

This oil is prized in Chinese cuisine for its rich aroma and nutty flavor, commonly used as a finishing oil — drizzled over cold dishes, noodles, dumplings, or soups just before serving. It’s rarely used for high-heat frying because its low smoke point can cause bitterness. In traditional Chinese medicine, it’s sometimes valued for its moisturizing and lubricating properties, especially for dry skin or constipation. Regional variations exist: in southern China and Taiwan, '麻油' may refer specifically to oil made from black sesame seeds, while northern usage often includes both white and black varieties.