chop suey

or chop sooy

[ chop-soo-ee ]

noun

1. a Chinese-style American dish consisting of small pieces of meat, chicken, etc., cooked together with bean sprouts, onions, mushrooms, or other vegetables and seasoning, in a gravy, often served with rice and soy sauce.

chop suey

/ ˈsuːɪ /

noun

1. a Chinese-style dish originating in the US, consisting of meat or chicken, bean sprouts, etc, stewed and served with rice

Word History and Origins

Origin of chop suey¹

1885–90, Americanism; < dialectal Chinese (Guangdong) jaahp seui mixed bits, akin to Chinese zá suì

Word History and Origins

Origin of chop suey¹

C19: from Chinese (Cantonese) tsap sui odds and ends

Example Sentences

Customers occupied almost every table and banquette, many chowing down the restaurant’s signature chop suey — which, like a lot of food served at the Chicago Cafe, is a Chinese American dish unfamiliar in China itself.

From Los Angeles Times

She could drive there every afternoon from her home in North Hills and drop off his favorite meals: KFC, El Pollo Loco and homemade chop suey.

From Los Angeles Times

Under a red neon sign advertising “chop suey,” a line of customers often forms.

From New York Times

His restaurant is not Cantonese American in the sense used to describe chop suey and other dishes that Cantonese cooks came up with to appease other people’s palates.

From New York Times

By the time Mr Chan had his first tastes of chop suey, there were relatively few Chinese Americans in the US - 0.08% of the total population - most of whom were descended from Toisan.

From BBC