Speaker A
Hi guys, I'm Chloe Chen, and welcome to Taste China with me!
Explore funny Chinese dish names and their wild English translations, uncovering unique stories behind classic Sichuan and Tianjin foods.
Key Takeaways
- Many funny Chinese dish names arise from literal or poor translations.
- Original dish names often have meaningful or historical origins.
- Understanding the stories behind dishes can make trying Chinese food less intimidating.
- Some dishes have evolved ingredients but retain their traditional names.
- English translations can sometimes add humor or confusion but also reflect cultural adaptation.
What the video covers
- Host Chloe Chen introduces the topic of unusual and humorous Chinese dish names and their English translations.
- Many dish names sound strange due to translation errors or the uniqueness of original names.
- The video shares backstories behind several famous Chinese dishes with funny or odd names.
- One featured dish is 'Husband and Wife Lung Slices' from Sichuan, named after a couple who sold spicy beef offal in the 1930s.
- The dish no longer contains lung or references to a couple, and a better English name would be Sichuan Spicy Beef and Offal Slices.
- GQ magazine named this dish 'Appetizer of the Year' in 2017, with an English translation 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith' used at a Houston restaurant.
- Another dish discussed is 'Ants Climbing a Tree,' minced pork with vermicelli noodles, named for the pork bits resembling ants on branches.
- This dish has a touching story involving a woman named Dou E who cooked it for her mother-in-law.
- The video also mentions a famous steamed bun from Tianjin with a misleadingly humorous name that does not imply poor quality.
- Overall, the video aims to educate viewers on the cultural and linguistic background of these dishes to enhance appreciation and reduce hesitation.
Chapters
- 00:00Introduction to Funny Chinese Dish Names
- 00:30Why Some Translations Are Scary or Hilarious
- 01:02Origins of Unique Chinese Dish Names
- 01:30Husband and Wife Lung Slices Story
- 04:10Evolution and English Names of Lung Slices
- 05:05Ants Climbing a Tree Dish and Its Backstory
- 07:20Taste and Personal Connection to Ants Climbing a Tree
- 07:40Tianjin Steamed Bun Name Explained
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
Speaker A
When I look at how some Chinese dish names are translated, I kind of get why some of you are scared to try Chinese food.
Speaker A
I get scared too. Some of these names sound so weird or hilarious!
Speaker A
A lot of the time it's because of translation fails, but sometimes the original names themselves are really unique.
Speaker A
Many of these dishes have interesting backstories.
Speaker A
So in today's video, I want to share a few Chinese dishes with funny or strange names, and tell you where those names actually come from.
Speaker A
That way, next time you see them on a menu, you can impress your friends with the story behind the dish.
Speaker A
This is a classic cold appetizer from Sichuan, spicy, numbing, tender, and beautifully red in color.
Speaker A
And don’t worry, there are no actual "husband and wife" pieces in it😂.
Speaker A
The name comes from a couple, Mr. and Mrs. Guo, who lived in Chengdu, Sichuan in the 1930s.
Speaker A
They started out selling spicy beef offal from baskets in the streets, mostly using cheaper cuts like beef lung, hence the name "lung slices."
Speaker A
Their affordable, flavorful food became super popular with the locals.
Speaker A
In 1933, they opened a shop and named it "Husband and Wife Lung Slices" in honor of their partnership.
Speaker A
These days, though, the dish usually uses higher-quality beef and beef tripe or tongue, and lung is no longer commonly used because of its texture.
Speaker A
So yes, the dish contains neither "husband and wife" nor "lung" anymore.
Speaker A
A better English name might be Sichuan Spicy Beef and Offal Slices.
Speaker A
In May 2017, GQ magazine in the U.S. ranked this dish as the "Appetizer of the Year" in their food guide, with a version served at Pepper Twins, a Sichuan restaurant in Houston.
Speaker A
Funny enough, the English translation they used was Mr. and Mrs. Smith.
Speaker A
From street food legends in Chengdu to undercover agents in the U.S.
Speaker A
This is another Sichuan classic, made of minced pork stir-fried with vermicelli noodles.
Speaker A
The little bits of pork clinging to the noodles apparently look like ants climbing tree branches, hence the name.
Speaker A
The correct, boring translation would be Sautéed Vermicelli with Minced Pork.
Speaker A
The dish actually has a lovely backstory.
Speaker A
A long time ago, a kind-hearted woman named Dou E lost her husband and was left to care for her sick mother-in-law.
Speaker A
One day, with only a bit of minced meat and some vermicelli, she cooked a dish for her mother-in-law.
Speaker A
At first, her mother-in-law, who had poor eyesight, mistook the bits of pork on the noodles for ants, but once she found out the truth and took a bite,
Speaker A
she loved it and said: "Let's just call this dish Ants Climbing a Tree!"
Speaker A
I'm from Sichuan, and I grew up eating this at home.
Speaker A
The noodles are soft and chewy, the pork is savory, and the whole thing is spicy and fragrant.
Speaker A
It's just so delicious!
Speaker A
This is a famous steamed bun from Tianjin, in northern China.
Speaker A
The name doesn't mean the buns are so bad that even dogs won't eat them—in fact, it's quite the opposite.
Topics:Chinese foodfunny dish namesChinese cuisineSichuan dishestranslation failsfood storiesChinese cultureAnts Climbing a TreeHusband and Wife Lung SlicesTianjin steamed buns
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