宫保鸡丁
gōngbǎo jīdīng
宫保鸡丁 (gōngbǎo jīdīng) is the Chinese way to say kung pao chicken.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 宫保 (gōngbǎo), which translates to palace guardian and refers to a historical title. 鸡 (jī), meaning chicken. And 丁 (dīng), which means small cubes or pieces. The term 丁 specifically describes the way the meat is cut into small, uniform cubes, a standard culinary term in Chinese cooking.
How do you pronounce it?
gōngbǎo jīdīng
Did you know?
- While 'dīng' refers to the meat cubes, the dish is defined by its characteristic 'lychee flavor', which describes a specific balance of sweet and sour rather than the taste of the fruit.
- Authentic versions of the dish use a specific type of Sichuan pepper that creates a numbing sensation called 麻 (má) rather than just a spicy heat.
- While 'kung pao' is synonymous with chicken in English, in China the 宫保 (gōngbǎo) style can be applied to other ingredients, such as shrimp or pork.
Examples in context
- 请给我一份宫保鸡丁Please give me a serving of Kung Pao Chicken.
- 我想点一份宫保鸡丁。Wǒ xiǎng diǎn yí fèn gōngbǎo jīdīng.I would like to order a serving of kung pao chicken.
- 这家店的宫保鸡丁很好吃。Zhè jiā diàn de gōngbǎo jīdīng hěn hǎochī.The kung pao chicken at this restaurant is delicious.
- 服务员，请给我一份宫保鸡丁。Fúwùyuán, qǐng gěi wǒ yí fèn gōngbǎo jīdīng.Waiter, please give me a serving of kung pao chicken.
Example conversation
A couple is deciding what to order at a Chinese restaurant.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen伟，你想吃什么？Wěi, nǐ xiǎng chī shénme?Wei, what do you want to eat?
- 伟 Wei我最想吃宫保鸡丁。Wǒ zuì xiǎng chī gōngbǎo jīdīng.I want to eat kung pao chicken most.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen好，那我们就点一份宫保鸡丁吧。Hǎo, nà wǒmen jiù diǎn yí fèn gōngbǎo jīdīng ba.Okay, let's order one serving of kung pao chicken then.
- 伟 Wei太好了，我饿了。Tài hǎo le, wǒ è le.Great, I am hungry.
