What does the Cantonese term 'siu mai' literally mean?

The Cantonese term “siu mai” literally means “cook and sell.”

The expression is written 燒賣 in traditional Chinese characters. The first character, siu, can refer to cooking, heating, or roasting, while maai means “to sell.” The phrase is commonly explained as describing food cooked for immediate sale, or dumplings so popular that they are sold as soon as they leave the steamer.

Siu mai is one of the classic Cantonese dim sum dishes. Cantonese versions are usually open-topped, steamed dumplings filled with seasoned ground pork, shrimp, mushrooms, or other ingredients. They may be decorated with crab roe, peas, or a small shrimp, and are often served alongside har gow and char siu bao.

The dish has several names and spellings, including shumai, shaomai, shui mai, and siomai. Regional versions differ substantially: northern Chinese shaomai may use mutton or other fillings and can have a different wrapper. The literal gloss should not be confused with “open top,” which describes the dumpling’s appearance rather than the meaning of its Cantonese name.