bao
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of bao
From Swahili
Explanation
A bao is a soft steamed bun with a savory filling. If you order dim sum at a Chinese restaurant, you'll probably get to taste several kinds of bao. Bao, or "bun," comes from Cantonese, and it's a specialty of Cantonese cuisine. Bao is different from other dumplings because it's steamed, rather than boiled or fried, and made with yeast. The result is a pillowy case for fillings like barbecued pork or pickled vegetables. Some bao is pinched into a round ball, while others are open, encasing the filling like a taco. You can also call these delicious treats baozi, or "filled buns."
Vocabulary lists containing bao
Foods from Asia
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
5th Grade World Cuisine, List 2
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
These are foam or gel-filled toys of various brands shaped like bao buns, and sometimes sold in plastic replicas of bamboo steamer baskets.
From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026
Or if you didn’t win, there was still plenty to savor Sunday night, including buffet stations bursting with sliders, spring rolls and short rib bao buns.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026
It could be chocolate chip pancakes and fish tacos at 2 a.m., lobster rolls and xiao long bao for breakfast, or a multi-course raw seafood dinner.
From Salon • Dec. 27, 2025
Placards on the table provide instructions on how to eat Din Tai Fung’s xiao long bao, or soup dumplings, and diners mark their orders on long slips of paper that are then collected by servers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 20, 2025
I can’t walk over there with this bao in my hand.
From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
