Doufu
/ˈdoʊfuː/noun
A transliteration of Chinese dòufu, meaning tofu or bean curd made from coagulated soy milk.
Did you know?Chinese tradition credits Liu An, a Han-dynasty prince associated with Daoist alchemy, with inventing tofu, though historians regard that origin story as legendary rather than proven.
Etymological Timeline
Old Chinese
Old Chinese
豆
“Bean or pulse; the character originally referred to a ritual food vessel before becoming associated with beans.”
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese
豆腐
“Bean curd; the two-character compound combines “bean” with “curd” or “fermented coagulated substance.””
10th–13th Century
Chinese
dòufu
“The established Chinese term for tofu, a solid food made by coagulating soy milk.”
17th–19th Century
Japanese
tōfu
“Japanese borrowing of the Chinese term for bean curd.”
20th Century
English
doufu
“A romanized Chinese form used in English-language writing, especially in culinary and cultural contexts.”
Modern English
English
doufu
“A less common variant or transliteration of tofu, generally referring to the same soy-based food.”