Rou jia mo. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Rou jia mo, which translates as "meat placed between bun", has a similar recipe to hamburgers, consisting of chopped meat inside a bun.

The chewy bun baked in a clay oven or fried in a pan and with a mouthwatering meat filling stewed in a variety of spices — is not only popular in China's streets and alleys but also with foodies overseas.

Xie Yunfeng, a Chinese vendor selling rou jia mo in front of Columbia University in New York, became an online sensation in 2013. Xie said he could sell more than 100 rou jia mo a day.

Commenting on the reported comparison between rou jia mo and hamburgers, one Internet user said, "People like eating meat by sandwiching it between buns, whether they are in the East or the West."