Wantan
/ˈwɒn.tæn/noun
A wonton, especially in Southeast Asian English usage.
Did you know?The popular translation of Cantonese wonton as “swallowing clouds” is poetic but disputed; the word’s deeper history connects it to older Chinese names for stuffed dumplings.
Etymological Timeline
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese
huntuŋ
“An early Chinese form associated with a type of dumpling; the exact original sense is debated.”
Cantonese
Cantonese
wān tān
“A dumpling made with a thin wrapper, commonly filled with meat or seafood.”
19th–20th Century
English
wonton
“A Chinese dumpling, borrowed into English from southern Chinese varieties.”
20th Century
English
wantan
“A variant spelling of wonton, particularly common in Singaporean and Malaysian English.”
Modern English
English
wantan
“A wonton or dish made with wontons.”