Quenching of steel is performed to increase its hardness.
A quenched blade cuts well.
Common spelling with okurigana, often used in technical contexts.
Standard kanji spelling for the metalworking process.
Compound of 焼き (yaki, 'burning' or 'heating', the continuative form of 焼く) and 入れ (ire, 'putting in', the continuative form of 入れる). Literally 'heating and putting in', referring to the process of heating metal and then plunging it into a cooling medium.