 Stir frying was brought to America by early Chinese immigrants, and has been used in non-Asian cuisine.The term "stir fry" as a translation for "chao" was coined in the 1945 book "How To Cook and Eat in Chinese", by the linguist Yuen Ren Chao.The book told the reader

In the West, stir fry spread from Chinese family and restaurant kitchens into general use.