lo mein

US/ˌloʊ ˈmeɪn/

noun

A Chinese dish consisting of soft noodles stir fried with vegetables and meat in sauce.

OriginTaishanese 撈麵 /捞面 →
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Meanings

nounlo mein (uncountable)
  1. uncountableA Chinese dish consisting of soft noodles stir fried with vegetables and meat in sauce.

    Yakisoba is one of those dishes with roots in several countries. Although it’s from Japan, it is Chinese influenced, similar to chow mein and lo mein.

    2010 February 26, Mark Bittman, “Yakisoba: Leeway Among the Noodles”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC

Origin

  1. Taishanese撈麵 /捞面
  2. Englishlo mein

From Taishanese 撈麵 /捞面 (lau¹ men⁵). See also chow mein, yi mein.

More words from Taishanese

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Cantonese 撈麵 /捞面
  • 撈麵 /捞面 (lou¹ min⁶)Chinese dish
Cite this entry
APA

lo mein. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lo%20mein

MLA

“lo mein.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lo%20mein. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lo mein,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lo%20mein.

Source: lo mein on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.