豆腐
tōfu[to̞ːɸɯ̟]
The Japanese word for "tofu" is 豆腐 (tōfu).
豆腐 refers to a protein-rich food made from curdled soy milk.
Meaning: protein-rich food made from curdled soy milk (noun)
Which one should you use?
While 豆腐 is the general term, there are specific names for different varieties: 絹ごし豆腐 is silken tofu, 木綿豆腐 is firm tofu, 揚げ出し豆腐 is deep-fried tofu, 冷奴 is cold tofu and 麻婆豆腐 is spicy tofu stew.
How do you pronounce it?
tōfu
Did you know?
- The variety 冷奴 contains the character for 'slave' 奴, which in this specific context refers to a side dish that 'serves' the main meal.
- In Japanese folklore, some believe that 豆腐 can be used as a spiritual offering to appease ghosts or ancestors during specific rituals.
- The word 木綿豆腐 means 'cotton tofu' because the firm texture resembles the feel of raw cotton. It is a descriptive name based on texture rather than an ingredient.
Examples in context
- それは豆腐よ。That is tofu.This sentence is useful for identifying that something is 豆腐.Tatoeba #11571571 by small_snow, translation #3377902 by CC
- 豆腐を食べます。I eat tofu.This sentence is useful for expressing the action of eating 豆腐.Tatoeba #8534154 by e4zh1nmcz, translation #1370868 by TuckingFypo
- 豆腐は好きですか？Do you like tofu?This sentence is useful for asking if someone likes 豆腐.Tatoeba #11052333 by small_snow, translation #2807659 by Hybrid
- 私は豆腐が好きです。I like tofu.
- 今日の夕食には、とうふを使います。I will use tofu in today's dinner.
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Hiroto are grocery shopping together.
- 結衣 Yuiこの豆腐、すごく安いです。Kono tofu, sugoku yasui desu.This tofu is very cheap.
- 大翔 Hiroto本当ですね。買いましょう。Hontou desu ne. Kaimashou.That's true. Let's buy it.
- 結衣 Yui大翔さんは、豆腐が好きですか？Hiroto-san wa, tofu ga suki desu ka?Hiroto, do you like tofu?
- 大翔 Hirotoはい、大好きですよ。Hai, daisuki desu yo.Yes, I love it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tofu” translations and entries 豆腐, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
