Shiso
/ˈʃiː.soʊ/noun
An aromatic Asian herb, usually Perilla frutescens, whose leaves are used in Japanese and other East Asian cuisines.
Did you know?The name comes from Chinese 紫蘇, traditionally interpreted as “purple revival,” though the dramatic idea that it could revive someone poisoned by crab belongs to later legend rather than established medical fact.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Chinese
Chinese
紫蘇
“The name of the perilla plant, literally analyzed as “purple” plus “revive” or “restore.””
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese
t͡sɨʔ su
“The pronunciation associated with the written form 紫蘇, referring to purple perilla.”
Classical Japanese
Japanese
しそ（紫蘇）
“The plant name adopted into Japanese, pronounced shiso.”
18th–19th Century
Japanese
shiso
“A culinary herb used especially for its aromatic leaves, seeds, and flowers.”
20th Century
English
shiso
“An English loanword for Japanese perilla, increasingly used in descriptions of East Asian cuisine.”