Chinese word

豆腐

Pronunciation

Pinyindòu fǔ

Meaning

  • nountofu

Example

我喜欢吃豆腐。wǒ xǐ huān chī dòu fǔ

I like eating tofu.

Illustration for 豆腐 (tofu)

More examples

这家店的豆腐很新鲜。zhè jiā diàn de dòu fǔ hěn xīn xiān

The tofu at this shop is very fresh.

Core concept

Soybeans transformed into a mild white food that holds together as either a delicate block or a sturdier one.

Common phrases

  • 买豆腐mǎi dòu fǔ

    buy tofu

  • 煎豆腐jiān dòu fǔ

    pan-fry tofu

  • 用豆腐做菜yòng dòu fǔ zuò cài

    cook with tofu

Similar words

豆腐干dòu fǔ gān: A firm, chewy soybean food made by removing much of the water and suitable for storage.
豆腐皮dòu fǔ pí: A thin, skin-like soybean product made by drying the film that forms when soy milk is heated.
豆腐脑dòu fú nǎo: A warm, very soft soybean food often served with sweet or savory seasoning.
豆浆dòu jiāng: A white drink made by blending soybeans with water and straining the liquid.

Definition in Chinese

用大豆制成的白色蛋白质食品，质地可从细嫩到结实不等，常见有嫩豆腐（又称绢豆腐）和老豆腐（又称板豆腐）。yòng dà dòu zhì chéng de bái sè dàn bái zhì shí pǐn zhì dì kě cóng xì nèn dào jiē shí bù děng cháng jiàn yǒu nèn dòu fǔ yòu chēng juàn dòu fǔ hé lǎo dòu fǔ yòu chēng bǎn dòu fǔ

Word origin

The name 豆腐 (dòufǔ, "tofu") identifies the bean source with 豆 (dòu, "bean") and the curdled result with 腐 (fǔ, "curdled mass"), rather than using 腐 in its ordinary sense of decay.

Usage tips

  • English often links tofu with vegetarian cooking, but 豆腐 (dòufǔ, "tofu") is an ordinary food word in Chinese and does not by itself suggest that a meal is vegetarian.

Other meanings

  • silken tofunoun
  • firm tofunoun

Related words

  • 豆腐脑dòu fú nǎotofu puddingnoun
  • 豆腐干dòu fǔ gāndried tofunoun

Word lists with this word