Wonton
/ˈwɒn.tɒn/noun
A Chinese dumpling typically filled with meat or seafood and served in soup or fried.
Did you know?The poetic idea that wonton means “swallowing clouds” comes from the Cantonese spelling 雲吞, but the older form 餛飩 is an ancient dumpling name whose original meaning is uncertain.
Etymological Timeline
2nd Century BCE–2nd Century CE
Chinese
餛飩 (húntún)
“An early Chinese name for a filled dumpling; the word’s original internal meaning is uncertain.”
Medieval Chinese
Chinese
餛飩 (húntún)
“A dumpling or stuffed dough preparation, documented in Chinese culinary traditions.”
Modern Cantonese
Cantonese
雲吞 (wàhn tān)
“A Cantonese form written with characters meaning “cloud swallow,” likely a later graphic or poetic reinterpretation of the older term.”
19th Century
English
wuntun / wantan
“English spellings used to represent Cantonese pronunciation in descriptions of Chinese food.”
20th Century
English
wonton
“The now-standard English spelling for the Chinese dumpling.”