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soy

/sɔɪ/ Japanese Origin Food & Drink

Original Word

醤油

Kanji (shōyu)

Entered English

17th century

First recorded usage in English

The Story Behind "soy"

From Japanese 'shōyu' (醤油), soy sauce, derived from Chinese 'jiàng yóu'. The word was shortened to 'soy' in English. Soy sauce and soybeans have become staple ingredients worldwide.

Example Usage

"Add a splash of soy sauce to the stir-fry for extra flavor."

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