糖醋鸡
táng cù jī
Sweet and sour chicken in Chinese is 糖醋鸡 (táng cù jī).
糖醋鸡 refers to a dish consisting of chicken cooked in a sauce that features both sweet and tart flavors.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 糖 (sugar), 醋 (vinegar) and 鸡 (chicken).
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase functions as a noun phrase and does not change its form based on number or case.
How do you pronounce it?
táng cù jī
Did you know?
- The character 醋 (vinegar) is used in a Chinese idiom 吃醋 (to eat vinegar) to describe the feeling of being jealous in a romantic relationship.
- While 糖醋鸡 is the generic term, the most famous version is ‘Gu Lao Rou’ 古老肉, which translates to ‘ancient style meat’ and is a staple of Cantonese cuisine.
- In Chinese culture, the balance of 糖 (sugar) and 醋 (vinegar) reflects the broader philosophical goal of achieving harmony between opposing forces, known as yin and yang.
Examples in context
- 我想吃糖醋鸡。Wǒ xiǎng chī táng cù jī.I want to eat sweet and sour chicken.
- 这家店的糖醋鸡很有名。Zhè jiā diàn de táng cù jī hěn yǒumíng.This restaurant's sweet and sour chicken is very famous.
- 服务员，请给我一份糖醋鸡。Fúwùyuán, qǐng gěi wǒ yī fèn táng cù jī.Waiter, please give me an order of sweet and sour chicken.
Example conversation
Two friends are deciding what to order at a Chinese restaurant.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen俊杰，你今天想吃什么？Jùnjié, nǐ jīntiān xiǎng chī shénme?Junjie, what do you want to eat today?
- 俊杰 Junjie我非常想吃糖醋鸡。Wǒ fēicháng xiǎng chī táng cù jī.I really want to eat sweet and sour chicken.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen好，那我们也点一份炒饭吧。Hǎo, nà wǒmen yě diǎn yī fèn chǎofàn ba.Okay, let's also order a portion of fried rice.
- 俊杰 Junjie没问题，晓雯。Méi wèntí, Xiǎowén.No problem, Xiaowen.
