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Egg foo young

2 stages from Cantonese to English.

Today it means a Chinese-American omelet dish made with vegetables and meat, typically served with gravy

Where does the word "egg foo young" come from? It comes from Cantonese fu4 jung4 daan2, adopted directly into English (late 1800s-early 1900s).

fu4 jung4 daan2→egg foo young

fu4 jung4 daan2

Cantonese · 19th century

"an egg omelet dish"

literally 'hibiscus egg', naming an omelet dish named for its flower-like appearance

English · late 1800s-early 1900s

"a Chinese-American omelet dish with vegetables and meat, served in gravy"

adapted with reversed word order into Chinese-American restaurant menus

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