charquicán (Spanish)
Where does "charquicán" come from?
The South American dish known as charquicán traces its roots to the Quechua language, combining the terms ch'arki, meaning jerky, and kanka, meaning roasted or toasted. This culinary name preserves the indigenous heritage of the Andes by describing a traditional stew made from these basic preserved ingredients.
Full etymology tree
- charquicán (Spanish), 'a kind of stew from South America, made with jerky and other ingredients'
- compound ch'arki (Quechua), 'alternative form of charki'
- compound kanka (Quechua), 'roasted, toasted'
Ancestors
- ch'arki (Quechua)
- kanka (Quechua)
Updated July 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris