Hot pot or hotpot (simplified chinese: 火锅; traditional chinese: 火鍋; pinyin: huǒguō; lit. 'fire pot'), also known as soup-food or steamboat, is a cooking method that originated in china. a heat source on the dining table keeps a pot of soup stock simmering, and a variety of chinese foodstuffs and ingredients are served beside the pot for the diners to put into the hot stock.

Source: Wikipedia