>chashu vs. char siu

Char siu is a familiar word, even in America.

Char siu bao, the steamed pork buns on dim sum carts,
Char siu (barbecued) pork at Chinese mom-and-pop restaurants,
BBQ char siu chicken at many mainstream restaurants...

Char siu literally means fork-roast (you know, not roasted fork, but roasted on forks).

<--photo by "the food pornographer" (flickr)

Even the Japanese call their version of this pork chashu, taken directly from Chinese, rather than calling it, say, matayaki, or sasho. Invariably in Japan, chashu means pork slices topping ramen noodles.

Which version is better, Chinese or Japanese?

For me, nothing beats a good char siew mee from a Singaporean hawker stall, commonly accompanied by wontons (wantans).