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chow mein

a Chinese dish of stir-fried noodles with vegetables and meat

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Where does the word "chow mein" come from? It comes from Chinese chao mian, and was adopted directly into English (1900s).

Read the full story

Where does the word "chow mein" come from? It comes from Chinese chao mian, and was adopted directly into English (1900s).

Chow mein’s story begins in Chinese: chao mian meant “fried noodles.” Literally "fried noodles". It reached English by 1900s as chow mein. Chinese 'stir-fried noodles', brought by Cantonese immigrants to the US. Today, chow mein means a Chinese dish of stir-fried noodles with vegetables and meat.

  1. Stage 1 · Chinese · medieval chao mian "fried noodles", literally "fried noodles".
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1900s chow mein "a dish of stir-fried noodles and vegetables", Chinese 'stir-fried noodles', brought by Cantonese immigrants to the US.

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