pho

American  

[fuh] / fʌ /

noun

1. a N Vietnamese soup made of beef or chicken stock with rice noodles and thin slices of beef or chicken.

---

pho British  

/ fəʊ /

noun

1. a Vietnamese noodle soup

---

Etymology

Origin of pho

Perhaps from French (pot-au-)feu pot-au-feu

---

Explanation

Pho is a delicious Vietnamese noodle soup. In Vietnam, it's common to eat a bowl of pho for breakfast. Traditionally, pho is made with beef broth and rice noodles, and topped with slices of beef and herbs. There are also chicken, tofu, and vegetable versions of this iconic Vietnamese soup, all of them warm and aromatic. Pho was invented in the early 1900s in the northern part of Vietnam, with a name most likely influenced by French colonizers — the Vietnamese phở probably derives from feu, or "fire."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pho

The world's largest jewellery brand showed off bracelet charms featuring Vietnam's national flag and a bowl of pho noodle soup as it opened a manufacturing centre in the country on Thursday, its first outside Thailand.

From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026

And its airport clubs feature amenities such as pancake printers and make-your-own pho.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

Sample a twist on dinner and drinks: Would you try a mojito with gazpacho or a martini with pho?

From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026

I live on a stretch of Vietnamese restaurants — pho, noodles, bún bò huế — punctuated by a killer arepa spot and a shawarma stand.

From Salon ● Mar. 25, 2026

Pho, pho," said the old gentleman,—"she don't take it very much to heart.

From Queechy by Susan Warner

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---