chop suey: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
MediumInformal, colloquial
Quick answer
What does “chop suey” mean?
A Westernised Chinese-American dish consisting of small pieces of meat and vegetables, cooked together in a sauce and served with rice.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A Westernised Chinese-American dish consisting of small pieces of meat and vegetables, cooked together in a sauce and served with rice.
Often used figuratively to describe a confused mixture or a hodgepodge of different elements.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
More commonly known and used in the US, where the dish originated. In the UK, it is a familiar term from Chinese takeaways, but less historically central.
Connotations
In both varieties, it can connote 'inauthentic' or 'westernised' Chinese food. In figurative use, it implies a messy, improvised combination.
Frequency
Higher frequency in American English, both literally and figuratively.
Grammar
How to Use “chop suey” in a Sentence
[VERB] + chop suey (e.g., eat, cook, prepare)[ADJ] + chop suey (e.g., American-style, leftover, delicious)chop suey + [PREP] + [NOUN] (e.g., chop suey with noodles)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “chop suey” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The policy was a chop-suey assortment of old ideas.
American English
- He has a chop-suey approach to home decoration.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Could be used metaphorically in marketing or critiques to describe a poorly integrated product mix.
Academic
Rare. Might appear in cultural or food history studies discussing culinary adaptation.
Everyday
Common in contexts discussing food or describing a confused mixture of things.
Technical
Not applicable.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “chop suey”
- Misspelling as 'chop sooey' or 'chop sui'.
- Using it to refer to any Chinese stir-fry dish.
- Capitalising it as a proper noun.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is not. It is an American creation, developed by Chinese immigrants in the United States in the late 19th or early 20th century.
The name is believed to come from the Cantonese phrase 'tsap seui' (雜碎), which means 'miscellaneous odds and ends' or 'mixed pieces'.
Yes, figuratively it is often used to describe any confused or heterogeneous mixture, e.g., 'a chop suey of architectural styles'.
Yes. Chow mein features fried noodles, while chop suey is a saucy mixture of meat and vegetables served over rice or sometimes noodles.
A Westernised Chinese-American dish consisting of small pieces of meat and vegetables, cooked together in a sauce and served with rice.
Chop suey is usually informal, colloquial in register.
Chop suey: in British English it is pronounced /ˌtʃɒp ˈsuː.i/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌtʃɑːp ˈsuː.i/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a chop suey of [ideas/regulations/styles]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
CHOP the vegetables, SUEY says 'mix it all up' – that's chop suey!
Conceptual Metaphor
A DISH IS A CONFUSED MIXTURE / CULTURAL FUSION IS A HYBRID DISH.
Practice
Quiz
What is the most accurate description of 'chop suey'?