左宗棠
Zuǒ Zōngtáng
左宗棠 (Zuǒ Zōngtáng) is the Chinese name for General Tso, a 19th-century Chinese general and statesman.
What does it mean word for word?
The name consists of the surname Zuǒ (左) and the given name Zōngtáng (宗棠).
How do you pronounce it?
Zuǒ Zōngtáng
Did you know?
- In China, if you were to order 'General Tso' at a restaurant, you would be ordering a person, not a dish. The popular American-Chinese chicken dish is not actually a traditional Chinese recipe and is virtually unknown in China.
- Because 'Zuǒ' (左) is a common surname, a person referring to the general might be confused with a general command to 'turn left'. In many contexts, the character for 'left' and the surname are identical in pronunciation.
- Most culinary historians believe the dish was actually invented in Taiwan or the United States. It was designed to appeal to Western tastes for sweet and sour flavors rather than traditional regional styles of 左宗棠's home province.
Examples in context
- 左宗棠是清朝时期的名将。Zuǒ Zōngtáng shì Qīngcháo shíqī de míngjiàng.Zuo Zongtang was a famous general during the Qing Dynasty.
- 关于左宗棠的传记很有名。Guānyú Zuǒ Zōngtáng de zhuánjì hěn yǒumíng.The biography about Zuo Zongtang is very famous.
Example conversation
Two students are discussing their history homework in a library.
- 志强 Zhiqiang你知道左宗棠是谁吗？Nǐ zhīdào Zuǒ Zōngtáng shì shuí ma?Do you know who Zuo Zongtang is?
- 佳怡 Jiayi他是那位非常有名的将领。Tā shì nà wèi fēicháng yǒumíng de jiànglǐng.He is that very famous general.
- 志强 Zhiqiang对，课本上提到了左宗棠。Duì, kèběn shàng tí dào le Zuǒ Zōngtáng.Correct, the textbook mentions Zuo Zongtang.
- 佳怡 Jiayi我也得去查查他的资料。Wǒ yě děi qù chá chá tā de zīliào.I also need to look up his information.
