shoyu

noun

sho·​yu ˈshō-(ˌ)yü 

plural shoyus

: soy sauce

Processing of soybeans into food products means the production of traditional food items such as tofu, miso, and shoyu …

—Association of American Geographers

If shoyu (soy sauce) is of good quality, a drop in a glass of cold water should hold its shape.

—Kenneth Wapner

especially : a Japanese-style soy sauce having wheat as a primary ingredient

Known as shoyu, Japanese soy sauce is less salty and somewhat sweeter than the Chinese version, because it contains more wheat.

—The Encyclopedia Of Herbs, Spices, & Flavorings

Noda is the last stage of my journey to trace the origins of soy sauce in Japan and, more especially, to search for the emperor's soy sauce—the quintessential shoyu.

—Jennifer Brennan

Examples of shoyu in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Ramen is a Japanese noodle dish that comes in four main varieties: miso ramen, tonkotsu ramen, shoyu ramen and shio ramen. —Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 2 Jan. 2025

The Bridgewater Modern Grill The riverfront restaurant at 2011 S. First St. will offer two specials on New Year’s Eve: ahi tuna steak with oak-fire miso aioli, petite greens and shoyu vinaigrette ($45), and wagyu New York strip with confit potato, bordelaise sauce and black truffle ($78). —Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 11 Dec. 2024

The menu includes several types of ramen, including shoyu, tonkatsu and a duck matcha broth, plus a seasonal menu of dishes like wagyu sushi or enoki chips. —Reia Li, The Arizona Republic, 6 Dec. 2024

From shoyu to tsukemen to a ramen served in a Cincinnati chili-spiced broth, Bentz often has customers lined up out the door, eager to slurp them down. —Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 27 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Japanese shōyu

First Known Use

1727, in the meaning defined above