醤油
shōyu[ɕo̞ːjɯ̟]
Soy sauce in Japanese is 醤油 (shōyu). Wiktionary also lists 醬油 (shōyu).
Meaning: a condiment and ingredient made from fermented soybeans (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 醤油 | shōyu | [ɕo̞ːjɯ̟] (narrow) [soj] (Kagoshima, narrow) |
| 醬油 | shōyu |
醤油 refers to the condiment and ingredient made from fermented soybeans.
Which one should you use?
The two forms provided, 醤油 and 醬油, are both pronounced shōyu.
How do you pronounce it?
shōyu
Did you know?
- The characters for 醤油 literally translate to 'thick paste' and 'oil', reflecting the early Chinese perception of the liquid as an oily extract.
- In Japan, it is considered poor etiquette to dip the rice of a sushi roll into 醤油, as the rice can soak up too much salt and fall apart.
- Traditional Japanese tables often feature a 'shōyu-zara', a small, shallow dish specifically designed to hold 醤油 for dipping.
Examples in context
- トム、そこの醤油取って。Tom, please pass me that soy sauce.This sentence is useful for requesting someone to pass the 醤油.Tatoeba #2711862 by tommy_san, translation #7908439 by CM
- 寿司に醤油なんてつけないわ。I never dip my sushi in soy sauce.This sentence demonstrates a personal preference regarding the use of 醤油 with sushi.Tatoeba #10135808 by small_snow, translation #8993189 by mccarras
- マヨネーズと醤油を買わなきゃ。I need to buy some mayonnaise and soy sauce.This sentence is useful for expressing a need to purchase both mayonnaise and 醤油.Tatoeba #11933176 by small_snow, translation #11662007 by sundown
- Kore wa shoyu desu. (これは醤油です。)This is soy sauce.
- Nee, showyu kudasai! (ねえ、しょうゆください！)Hey, can you pass me the soy sauce?
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
In a kitchen while preparing a meal.
- 蓮 Ren醤油はどこにある？shoyu wa doko ni aru?Where is the soy sauce?
- 陽葵 Himari冷蔵庫の中にあるよ。reizoko no naka ni aru yo.It is in the refrigerator.
- 蓮 Renあ、あった。ありがとう。a, atta. arigatou.Ah, I found it. Thanks.
- 陽葵 Himari料理に使うの？ryouri ni tsukau no?Are you going to use it for cooking?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “soy sauce” translations and entries 醤油, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 醤油, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
