Gua Bao
/ˈɡwɑː ˌbaʊ/noun
A Taiwanese folded steamed bun commonly filled with braised pork, pickled mustard greens, peanuts, and herbs.
Did you know?In Taiwanese Hokkien, the traditional name hó͘-kā-ti is commonly explained as “tiger bites pig,” describing the bun’s open, animal-mouth shape around its pork filling.
Etymological Timeline
Old Chinese
Old Chinese
刈
“To cut, reap, or harvest”
Classical Chinese
Classical Chinese
包
“A wrapping, bundle, or thing enclosed”
Premodern Taiwan
Taiwanese Hokkien
hó͘-kā-ti
“Traditional name commonly glossed as “tiger bites pig””
Modern Mandarin
Mandarin
刈包 (guà bāo)
“Literally “cut bun”; a folded steamed bun”
20th Century
English
gua bao
“Romanized name used for the Taiwanese filled bun”
Modern English
English
gua bao
“A popular Taiwanese-style folded sandwich bun”
Explore more surprising origins