豆腐
dòufu
Tofu in Chinese is 豆腐 (dòufu).
豆腐 is a noun referring to the protein-rich food made from curdled soy milk.
Meaning: protein-rich food made from curdled soy milk (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of two parts: 豆 (dòu), which means bean and 腐 (fu), which refers to the process of curdling or fermenting.
How do you pronounce it?
dòufu
Did you know?
- The phrase 摸豆腐 (mō dòufu), literally 'touching tofu', is a slang term for unwanted touching or harassment.
- There is a traditional Chinese dish called 麻婆豆腐 (má pó dòufu) named after a 'pockmarked grandmother' who allegedly invented the recipe in the 19th century.
- The character 腐 (fu) in 豆腐 (dòufu) is also the root for the word 'corrupt' in Chinese, as both relate to the process of decay or breaking down.
Examples in context
- 这是不是豆腐？Is this tofu?This sentence is useful for asking if a food item is 豆腐.Tatoeba #3377913 by GlossaMatik, translation #3377914 by CM
- 汤姆喜欢豆腐。Tom likes tofu.This sentence is useful for expressing a preference for 豆腐.Tatoeba #9932446 by GlossaMatik, translation #6608788 by Hybrid
- 豆腐配清酒很合適。Tofu goes well with good sake.This sentence is useful for suggesting a food pairing involving 豆腐.Tatoeba #7980268 by Leolaaziano, translation #1133493 by CK
- 在中国的菜肴中，豆腐很常见。Tofu is very common in Chinese cuisine.
- 今天早餐我想吃一碗豆花。I want to have a bowl of soft tofu for breakfast today.
- 在四川，你必须尝试他们特色的豆腐脑。In Sichuan, you must try their specialty, tofu brain.
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
晓雯 and 伟 are deciding what to cook for dinner.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen伟，我们今晚吃豆腐吗？Wěi, wǒmen jīnwǎn chī dòufu ma?Wei, shall we eat tofu tonight?
- 伟 Wei可以，我也想吃豆腐。Kěyǐ, wǒ yě xiǎng chī dòufu.Sure, I want to eat tofu too.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen那我去超市买豆腐。Nà wǒ qù chāoshì mǎi dòufu.Then I will go to the supermarket to buy tofu.
- 伟 Wei好的，谢谢晓雯。Hǎo de, xièxiè Xiǎowén.Okay, thanks Xiaowen.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tofu” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
