chow mein

[ chou meyn ]

noun

1. a Chinese-style dish of steamed or stir-fried vegetables, topped with shredded chicken, shrimp, etc., and served with fried noodles.

chow mein

/ meɪn /

noun

1. a Chinese-American dish, consisting of mushrooms, meat, shrimps, etc, served with fried noodles

Word History and Origins

Origin of chow mein¹

1900–05, Americanism; < Chinese chǎo fry + miàn noodles, or < cognate dial. forms

Word History and Origins

Origin of chow mein¹

from Chinese (Cantonese), variant of Mandarin ch'ao mien fried noodles

Example Sentences

Let’s take chow mein – there are endless varieties of this.

From Salon

The rest of the Chinese menu consists of takeout staples like chow mein and Chinese American go-to’s like General Tso’s chicken.

From Seattle Times

From kung pao chicken and chow mein to fresh, hot cinnamon rolls and salted pretzels, the food court was sure to satisfy whatever craving your heart desired.

From Salon

A short silence falls over our table, broken only by the clang of forks against porcelain, the obnoxious slurping sounds Connor makes as he eats his chow mein.

From Literature

Large parties fortify their brunch with one of the “kitchen special” noodles from chow mein to Singapore-style vermicelli.

From Seattle Times