goujon: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal/Culinary
Quick answer
What does “goujon” mean?
A long, thin strip of fish or chicken, typically coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A long, thin strip of fish or chicken, typically coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried.
In heraldry, it can refer to a small, wedge-shaped charge. In angling, a goujon is a small freshwater fish (goby). It is also a French culinary term for the dish.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, 'goujon' is a recognized culinary term for breaded fish strips. In American English, the term is largely unknown; 'fish fingers' or 'fish sticks' are common for fish, and 'chicken tenders' or 'chicken strips' for poultry.
Connotations
In the UK, it carries a slightly more refined or menu-specific connotation than 'fish fingers'. In the US, it would be seen as a foreign culinary term.
Frequency
Very low frequency in American English; low-to-moderate in specific British contexts (menus, cooking shows).
Grammar
How to Use “goujon” in a Sentence
[verb] + goujons: make, prepare, cook, fry, serve, eatgoujons + [preposition] + [noun]: goujons of fish, goujons with dipVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “goujon” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The chef will goujon the sole for the starter.
- I'm going to goujon this chicken breast.
American English
- The recipe said to goujon the fish, but I just cut it into chunks.
adjective
British English
- We offer a goujon selection.
- The goujon platter is very popular.
American English
- The goujon-style chicken was listed under appetizers.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in restaurant supply, catering, and menu design.
Academic
Rare; possible in culinary history or food studies.
Everyday
Used on restaurant menus and in home cooking discussions (UK).
Technical
Specific culinary term; heraldic term.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “goujon”
- Misspelling as 'gougeon' or 'goojon'.
- Mispronouncing the 'g' as hard /ɡ/ instead of soft /ɡ/ or /ɡuː/.
- Using it generically for any fried food instead of specifically breaded strips.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while most commonly used for fish (like cod or plaice), it can also apply to chicken, and sometimes other ingredients like halloumi cheese, as long as they are prepared in the characteristic breaded strip form.
A goujon is typically made from a fresh fillet cut into strips, hand-breaded, and often seen as more 'chef-prepared'. A fish finger is usually a uniform, industrial product made from minced fish, commonly found frozen.
It is a French loanword adopted into English, primarily in the culinary field. In English, it is used without diacritics, whereas in French it is spelled 'goujon' and also means 'gudgeon' (a small fish).
In British English, it is typically /ˈɡuːʒɒn/ (GOO-zhon). In American English, where it is rare, a more French-influenced /ɡuˈʒoʊn/ (goo-ZHOHN) might be heard. The 'g' is a hard /ɡ/, and the 'j' is a /ʒ/ sound.
A long, thin strip of fish or chicken, typically coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried.
Goujon is usually formal/culinary in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'GOO-zjon' – it sounds fancy and French, like a GOOd JON (John) who prepares fancy fried strips.
Conceptual Metaphor
FOOD IS A CRAFTED OBJECT (shaped, coated, perfected).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'goujon' most commonly used in British English?