How to Pronounce char siu

Meaning and Context

Char Siu, literally meaning 'fork-roasted' in Cantonese, is a quintessential Chinese barbecue pork dish renowned for its glossy, crimson-hued exterior and complex sweet-savory flavor profile. A cornerstone of Cantonese cuisine and a staple of siu mei (燒味) roast meat shops, its preparation involves marinating long strips of pork—traditionally from the shoulder or belly—in a distinctive blend of soy sauce, hoisin sauce, honey or maltose, fermented bean curd, and aromatic spices like five-spice powder. The meat is then skewered with long forks and roasted in a specialized oven or over an open fire, basting in its own juices and marinade to achieve a perfect balance of tender, juicy interior and a sticky, caramelized glaze. This iconic dish, a symbol of culinary craftsmanship, is enjoyed globally in diverse forms, from a centerpiece in a rice box (char siu fan) to a filling for fluffy steamed bao buns (char siu bao) or a flavorful addition to noodle soups, making it a perennial favorite for both home cooks and restaurant patrons seeking authentic Chinese flavors.

Common Mistakes and Alternative Spellings

The term "char siu" is a direct romanization from the Cantonese pronunciation (叉燒). The most common alternative spelling is "cha siu," which omits the 'r' and is also a valid transliteration reflecting the spoken word. In Mandarin Pinyin, the dish is spelled "chāshāo." Frequent misspellings and typos arise from phonetic guesses or autocorrect, including "char shu," "char sue," "cha shao," and "char siuw." Another common error is the conflation or misspelling of its key ingredient, "hoisin sauce," often written as "hoisen" or "hoy sin." When written, it is sometimes incorrectly hyphenated as "char-siu" or run together as "charsiu." The term should not be confused with "char kway teow," a completely different Southeast Asian stir-fried noodle dish.

Example Sentences

The aroma of freshly roasted char siu wafting from the Chinatown bakery was utterly irresistible.

For an authentic dinner, she prepared char siu at home, marinating the pork overnight in a mixture of hoisin, honey, and five-spice powder.

The chef expertly sliced the glistening char siu into thin pieces before arranging them over a bed of steaming white rice.

Many consider the char siu bao, a steamed bun filled with diced barbecue pork, to be the pinnacle of dim sum offerings.

His quest for the best char siu in the city led him to a humble siu mei shop where the meat was roasted in a traditional cylindrical oven.

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