Shoyu
/ˈʃɔɪ.juː/noun
Japanese soy sauce made by fermenting soybeans, often with wheat, salt, and koji mold.
Did you know?The English word “soy” was borrowed from the Japanese shōyu, not directly from Chinese, after European traders encountered the sauce in East Asia.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient China
Chinese
醤油 (jiàngyóu)
“Sauce or liquid made from fermented bean paste; literally “paste oil” or “sauce oil””
17th Century
Japanese
醤油 (shōyu)
“The Japanese reading of the Chinese-character compound for fermented soybean sauce”
17th–18th Century
Japanese
しょうゆ (shōyu)
“A commercially produced Japanese seasoning and table sauce”
17th Century
Dutch
soya
“A borrowed form derived from Japanese shōyu, used for the bean and its products”
19th Century
English
soy
“A shortened English form referring to the soybean and products made from it”
Modern English
English
shoyu
“A Japanese-style soy sauce, especially one made with both soybeans and wheat”