Douhua
/ˈdoʊˌhwɑː/noun
A soft Chinese soybean curd dessert or savory dish, often served with syrup, soy sauce, or other toppings.
Did you know?The word combines Chinese 豆 dòu, “bean,” with 花 huā, “flower,” an image of delicate blossoming applied to freshly set soybean curd.
Etymological Timeline
Old Chinese, 1st millennium BCE
Old Chinese
豆
“Bean; originally also associated with an ancient ritual food vessel”
Middle Chinese, c. 6th–10th Century
Middle Chinese
豆花
“A compound meaning “bean flower””
Early Mandarin, c. 13th–14th Century
Mandarin
dòuhuā
“Soft soybean curd, literally “bean flower””
Modern Chinese
Mandarin
豆花 dòuhuā
“A tender soybean-curd dish served sweet or savory”
Modern English, 20th–21st Century
English
douhua
“A culinary loanword for the Chinese soybean-curd dish”
Explore more surprising origins