Chinese five-spice (五香粉, wǔxiāngfěn) is a warm, sweet-savoury ground spice blend built classically around star anise, cloves, Chinese cinnamon (cassia), Sichuan pepper and fennel seed. Pungent, licorice-sweet and faintly numbing, it seasons roast and braised meats, master stocks and marinades across Chinese cooking.