Translating Chinese food names into English is an "impossible task" due to China's long culinary history and specific vocabulary.
Many Chinese dishes are layered with stories and imagery, and some words don't have English equivalents.
Borrowing Chinese terms, like using French words in English cuisine, could be a solution.
Dishes like "husband-and-wife lung slices" (fuqi fei pian) benefit from keeping their poetic names with added explanations.
Regional dialects influence the romanization of dishes, as seen in American Chinese food like chop suey and chow mein.
Mistranslations can be culturally enriching, making dishes comprehensible to diners.
Decoding Chinese Cuisine: Untranslatable Dishes and Culinary Culture
Edited by: Olga N
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