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Japanese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "tofu" in Japanese?
豆腐
toufu
In Japanese, "tofu" is 豆腐 (toufu).
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Pronunciation
TOH-foo, two simple syllables, both short and even — this one barely differs from how English speakers already say it.
Writing and usage
豆腐 is written using kanji. It's a noun, and this word is also taught inside the Noun Town language learning game, where it appears in interactive lessons alongside hundreds of other everyday words.
Example sentence
豆腐をカリッと焼き尽くした。
toufu wo karitsu to yaki tsukushi ta.
He fried the tofu until crispy.
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How to remember 豆腐
Toufu is already a familiar word in English — just soften the 'u' sounds and you're there.
Related words
- toast トースト toosuto
- cereal シリアル shiriaru
- pancake パンケーキ pankeeki
- omelet オムレツ omuretsu
- broth スープ suupu
- gravy グレービー gureebii
- sauce ソース soosu
- dressing ドレッシング doresshingu
- marinade マリネ液 marine eki
Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.
Questions about 豆腐
How do you pronounce 豆腐?
TOH-foo, two simple syllables, both short and even — this one barely differs from how English speakers already say it.
Is 豆腐 formal or casual?
豆腐 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.
How is 豆腐 written in Japanese?
豆腐 is written using kanji. Romanised, it reads as toufu.
Where can I practice Japanese words for free?
You can play free Japanese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, with no sign-up needed. Every word in the Japanese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.
"Tofu" in other languages
Curated by Jack Ratcliffe
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