chop suey

noun

chop su·​ey ˌchäp-ˈsü-ē 

plural chop sueys

: a dish prepared chiefly from bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, onions, mushrooms, and meat or fish and served with rice and soy sauce

Examples of chop suey in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For American diners of diverse backgrounds, chop suey struck an enticing balance between novelty and decipherability, which propelled it to national popularity even as the US government moved to exclude Chinese laborers from entering the country in 1882. —Ashley Rose Young, Bon Appetit Magazine, 18 June 2026

There are also some genuinely suspenseful beats amid the more outrageous flourishes, which include the killer concealing a chainsaw under their cloak and a karate instructor blaming a violent assault on having ingested bad chop suey. —Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 9 June 2026

Look out for dishes like chop suey of langoustines—the tender langoustines come in a rich fish velouté topped with a halo of fluffy coriander and alfalfa foam—or green peas with baby scallops and green caviar. —Eddi Fiegel, Robb Report, 7 May 2026

Changing hands multiple times in its 90-year history, the Mayflower has served dishes from hamburgers to chop suey. —Usa Today Network, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Chinese (Guangdong) jaahp-seui odds and ends, from jaahp miscellaneous + seui bits

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for chop suey

• cestui
• ennui
• buoy
• chewy
• dewy
• gooey

Kids Definition

chop suey

noun

chop su·​ey chäp-ˈsü-ē 

: a dish made chiefly from bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, onions, mushrooms, and meat or fish and served with rice and soy sauce

Etymology

from Chinese (dialect of Guangzhou and Hong Kong) jaahp seui, literally, "odds and ends"