鳳爪 / 凤爪
fèngzhǎo
The English phrase "chicken feet" is translated into Chinese using 鳳爪 / 凤爪 (fèngzhǎo). Wiktionary also lists 雞爪 / 鸡爪 (jīzhǎo) and 雞腳 / 鸡脚 (jījiǎo).
Meaning: feet of a chicken (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 鳳爪 / 凤爪 | fèngzhǎo |
| 雞爪 / 鸡爪 | jīzhǎo |
| 雞腳 / 鸡脚 | jījiǎo |
| 雞爪子 / 鸡爪子 | jīzhuǎzi |
This phrase refers to the feet of a chicken.
Which one should you use?
鳳爪 / 凤爪 literally means "phoenix claws" and is a euphemistic term. 雞爪 / 鸡爪 translates to "chicken claws" and is the standard term for biological or culinary contexts. 雞腳 / 鸡脚 is a more colloquial and descriptive term for chicken feet or legs.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
鳳爪 / 凤爪 is a formal and elegant way to refer to the dish, making it the preferred choice for restaurant menus. 雞爪 / 鸡爪 is the common, standard way to name them. 雞腳 / 鸡脚 is an informal, colloquial term used in spoken language.
How do you pronounce it?
fèngzhǎo
When do people say it?
When dining for Dim Sum, you will almost exclusively see chicken feet listed on menus as 鳳爪 / 凤爪.
Did you know?
- The character 爪 / 爪 'claw' is a pictograph that originally looked like a bird's foot, preserving the visual image of the animal's extremity for thousands of years.
- In Cantonese Dim Sum culture, 鳳爪 / 凤爪 are often prepared as 'black phoenix claws' by deep-frying and soaking them, which gives the skin a distinct dark color and wrinkled texture.
- In Chinese culture, eating chicken feet is often viewed as a way to consume collagen, and the dish is sometimes praised for its benefits to skin elasticity.
Example sentences for Chinese are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chicken feet” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
