Wagyu
/ˈwɑːɡjuː/noun
A Japanese breed or category of cattle prized for richly marbled beef.
Did you know?Wagyu is not one single breed: the term traditionally refers to four Japanese cattle breeds, including Japanese Black, the source of most famous Kobe beef.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Chinese
Chinese
和
“Harmony, Japan, or Japanese style; later used in Japanese as wa”
Ancient Chinese
Chinese
牛
“Cattle or ox”
8th Century
Japanese
和牛
“Japanese cattle; a Sino-Japanese compound”
19th–20th Century
Japanese
wagyū
“Japanese cattle, especially in contrast with imported Western cattle”
20th Century
English
Wagyu
“Japanese cattle or beef from these cattle”
Modern English
English
wagyu
“Highly marbled beef associated with Japanese cattle breeds”