The generic Cantonese term for roast meats such as char siu and roast goose is siu mei.
Siu mei refers to Cantonese roasted meats traditionally cooked on spits over an open fire or in a large wood-burning rotisserie oven. The roasting creates a deep barbecue flavor, while different meats receive distinctive marinades, glazes, or seasonings.
Char siu, or Cantonese barbecued pork, is one variety; others include roast goose, roast duck, roast pork, and sometimes soy-sauce chicken or white-cut chicken. The last examples can cause confusion because not every item sold in a siu mei shop is literally roasted.
The term is strongly associated with Hong Kong, Macau, Guangdong, Southeast Asia, and overseas Chinatowns. Siu mei is commonly sliced over white rice or noodles, often with greens, and is frequently bought from specialized roast-meat shops rather than prepared at home.