chop suey

Where does the word "chop suey" come from? It comes from Cantonese tsap sui, and was adopted directly into English (1800s-1900s).

Chop suey’s story begins in Cantonese: tsap sui meant “mixed pieces.” Literally "mixed bits" or "odds and ends". It reached English by 1800s-1900s as chop suey. Cantonese 'mixed bits'; associated with Chinese-American restaurants rather than China itself. Today, chop suey means a Chinese-American stir-fried dish of mixed vegetables, meat, and sauce.

1. Stage 1 · Cantonese · medieval tsap sui "mixed pieces", literally "mixed bits" or "odds and ends".
2. Stage 2 · English · 1800s-1900s chop suey "a stir-fried dish of mixed vegetables and meat", Cantonese 'mixed bits'; associated with Chinese-American restaurants rather than China itself.