Its thickening agent is usually starch which makes the soup translucent and smooth.

Geng dishes have been important in Chinese cuisine since early dynastic China, during or prior to the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC).

In the past, the term "geng" was used to refer to any cooked soup or stew, with households serving it daily and for festive events.

The Lao (ແກງ, [kɛ̀ːŋ]) and Thai language (แกง, [kɛ̄ːn]) terms for curry, stew, or soup, are believed to have been derived from the Middle Chinese pronunciation of geng (羹).

Due to its cultural prevalence, the food has been featured in various Chinese cultural sayings and idioms: The traditional Chinese spoon is called "diào gēng" (調羹), which means "the implement that carries geng".