# General Tsao's Chicken **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 23, 2002, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-tsaos-chicken/120380 "2002-07-23T14:38:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-tsaos-chicken/120380/1 "2002-07-23T14:38:28Z")
OK, here’s an easy one to settle an office bet: How do you pronounce “General Tsao’s Chicken”? I think this has been covered before, but my searches have come up empty. Please advise. ---
**Author:** ![NotMrKnowItAll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/6bbea6/32.png) [@NotMrKnowItAll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotMrKnowItAll)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-tsaos-chicken/120380/2 "2002-07-23T14:53:25Z")
It’s usually as such: “Number Eight, Please” ---
**Author:** ![Ill\_Logik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Ill\_Logik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ill_Logik)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-tsaos-chicken/120380/3 "2002-07-23T15:00:30Z")
At most chinese places around here, it’s spelled “Tso” and I have always heard it pronounced as “So.” I have no proof this is right, but it is what I hear. I’ve also seen one restaurant list it as General Joe’s chicken. And since it was in the middle of Texas, it’s not hard to figure out why. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-tsaos-chicken/120380/4 "2002-07-23T15:06:29Z")
I speak a bit of Cantonese, and only a tiny bit of Mandarin, but the “ts” consonant seems to be from the Wade-Giles system of transliteration, and would therefore be pronounced as it is written - like the “ts” in “cats”, but with reduced emphasis on the “t”. The “ao” would be pronounced like the “ow” sound in “cow”. So I’d write it as “(t)sow”. [Cite](http://acc6.its.brooklyn.cuny.edu/~phalsall/texts/chinlng1.html). ---
**Author:** ![xejkh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/22d042/32.png) [@xejkh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xejkh)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-tsaos-chicken/120380/5 "2002-07-23T15:20:01Z")
Try reading this aloud, and make your reading as exaggerated as possible (pretend you are shouting). “she”, “see” Notice how the lips are rounded (like an “o”) when you read “she”, and how they “stretch” apart when you read “see”. Then move on to: “cho” (as in _chose_) The lips are also rounded in “cho” How would you read “Tso”, if Tso is to “cho” as “see” is to “she”? Or you could always try this… Say loudly, “Its”, and note how the “ts” is pronounced. Now add an “o”. The only downside is that you may end up with “so”, which is definitely not what you are looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-tsaos-chicken/120380/6 "2002-07-23T15:31:12Z")
I had just ordered some General Tso’s chicken to go (note: I always recook it at home, with extra spices). Eve: So, tell me, who was General Tso? Confused cashier: What? Eve: Who was General Tso? Confused cashier (looking at order): He Eve Golden. Eve: No, no, _I’m_ Eve—who was General Tso? Confused cashier: He chicken in spicy sauce. Eve: No . . . What I meant was . . . Manager: Can I help you? Is some problem? Eve: I was just curious . . . Who was the chicken named after? I mean, what if General Tso was the Chinese Hitler? Manager: I don’t know. He some Chinese guy. [Eve quietly takes her chicken and goes] ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-tsaos-chicken/120380/7 "2002-07-23T15:34:18Z")
Yep, like “sow” only you make the “s” very sharp. For a cite, talk the the guy 2 cubes down from me 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Milton\_De\_La\_Warre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Milton\_De\_La\_Warre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Milton_De_La_Warre)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-tsaos-chicken/120380/8 "2002-07-23T15:46:48Z")
AFAIK, the general was a ranking minister in mid 19th Century Imperial China. Why the dish got named after him is open to speculation. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-tsaos-chicken/120380/9 "2002-07-23T15:57:06Z")
Cliffy’s father, every time we ordered chinese food: “I love serving in General Tso’s army. Y’know why? 'Cuz General Tso’s chicken!” –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![BF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5ac83/32.png) [@BF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BF)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-tsaos-chicken/120380/10 "2002-07-23T16:01:54Z")
Covered [before](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mgentso.html). ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-tsaos-chicken/120380/11 "2002-07-23T16:11:27Z")
I saw a cartonn a few months ago that shows a centuries-ago Chinese warlord – jagged spear, body armor, and all – standing in the middle of a modern Chinese restaurant. The caption read: “General Tso wants his Chicken back!” ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-tsaos-chicken/120380/12 "2002-07-23T16:33:11Z")
My image of Eve at the restaurant is beyond priceless ---
**Author:** ![YTMezoan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/eada6e/32.png) [@YTMezoan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YTMezoan)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-tsaos-chicken/120380/13 "2002-07-23T20:31:00Z")
On a related note, I once saw at a Chinese restaurant a dish called General Tsien’s Chicken. Any info on this guy? ---
**Author:** ![Space\_Vampire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Space\_Vampire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Space_Vampire)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-tsaos-chicken/120380/14 "2002-07-23T20:53:34Z")
You better watch how you pronounce Tsao or you’ll be saying “fuck.” ---
**Author:** ![Engywook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bc8723/32.png) [@Engywook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Engywook)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-tsaos-chicken/120380/15 "2002-07-23T21:48:45Z")
General Tsao wasn’t a Chinese Hitler… He was the Chinese Colonel Sanders (had to say it because nobody else would step up to the plate) ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-tsaos-chicken/120380/16 "2002-07-23T22:48:26Z")
[newly married Chinese couple] Hey, honey. How about some “69.” “You want Chinese veggies in garlic sauce?” rimshot. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-tsaos-chicken/120380/17 "2002-07-23T22:56:06Z")
“Number Eight, Please” Tried that once, she had to look it up by name. ---
**Author:** ![No\_Dragons\_Here](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@No\_Dragons\_Here](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_Dragons_Here)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-tsaos-chicken/120380/18 "2002-07-23T23:11:30Z")
I wondered this a while back, along with what Kung Pao chicken was. AFAIK - Kung Pao is General Pao’s chicken. Good dishes get named after famous generals, or perhaps good cooks get promoted in the Chinese military. Sort of the oposite of the U.S. tradition in that we have Colonel Saunder’s. Here is a link that sort of explains the General Tsao thing: [http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A59302-2002Apr16?language=printer](http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A59302-2002Apr16?language=printer) ---
**Author:** ![Space\_Vampire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Space\_Vampire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Space_Vampire)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2002, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-tsaos-chicken/120380/19 "2002-07-24T00:52:20Z")
It’s Zuo? Goddamn, Wades-Giles can eat me. ---
**Author:** ![Space\_Vampire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Space\_Vampire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Space_Vampire)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2002, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-tsaos-chicken/120380/20 "2002-07-24T00:55:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by samclem \* > \*\*[newly married Chinese couple] > Hey, honey. How about some “69.” > > “You want Chinese veggies in garlic sauce?” > > rimshot. \*\* Naw. More like this: “…” “…” “Okay, I expect you to be pregnant tomorrow.” LOROFLALRALF! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/general-tsaos-chicken/120380.md?page=2)