左宗棠鸡
zuǒzōngtáng jī
General Tso chicken in Chinese is 左宗棠鸡 (zuǒzōngtáng jī).
This phrase refers to a popular Chinese-American dish consisting of fried chicken pieces served in a sweet and spicy sauce.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the name 左宗棠 (Zuǒ Zōngtáng), a Qing dynasty official and 鸡 (jī), which means chicken.
Is it said differently in some regions?
左宗棠鸡 is commonly used in certain regions of China.
How do you pronounce it?
zuǒzōngtáng jī
When do people say it?
While the dish is a staple of Chinese-American cuisine, the name refers to a historical Chinese figure, though the specific recipe is a Western adaptation.
Did you know?
- While we call it 'General Tso' in English, the Chinese name 左宗棠 does not actually include a word for 'General'. The title is implied by the person's historical fame.
- The name uses the surname 左 (Zuǒ), which is also the Chinese word for 'left'.
- The real 左宗棠 was a military leader who helped recover lost territories in Xinjiang during the 19th century. He never cooked or endorsed this specific chicken recipe during his lifetime.
Examples in context
- 我想吃左宗棠鸡。Wǒ xiǎng chī Zuǒ Zōngtáng jī.I want to eat General Tso's chicken.
- 这家店的左宗棠鸡很有名。Zhè jiā diàn de Zuǒ Zōngtáng jī hěn yǒumíng.This restaurant's General Tso's chicken is very famous.
- 左宗棠鸡有点甜。Zuǒ Zōngtáng jī yǒudiǎn tián.General Tso's chicken is a little sweet.
Example conversation
Two friends are deciding what to order for takeout.
- 俊杰 Junjie你今天想吃什么？Nǐ jīntiān xiǎng chī shénme?What do you want to eat today?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我们要不要点一份左宗棠鸡？Wǒmen yào bùyào diǎn yī fèn Zuǒ Zōngtáng jī?Should we order an order of General Tso's chicken?
- 俊杰 Junjie好啊，我也很喜欢吃。Hǎo a, wǒ yě hěn xǐhuān chī.Okay, I like eating it too.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen那我就下单了。Nà wǒ jiù xià dān le.Then I will place the order.
