ramen

American  

[rah-muhn] / ˈrɑ mən /

noun

Japanese Cooking.

1. (used with a singular verb) a bowl of clear soup containing noodles, vegetables, and often bits of meat.

2. (usually used with a plural verb) the Asian wheat noodles used in this soup.

   I prefer the wavy ramen to the straight ones.

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ramen British  

/ ˈrɑːmən /

noun

1. a Japanese dish consisting of a clear broth containing thin white noodles and sometimes vegetables, meat, etc

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plural noun

1. thin white noodles served in such a broth

Etymology

Origin of ramen

First recorded in 1960–65; from Japanese rāmen, from Chinese lāmiàn literally, “pull noodle”

Explanation

Ramen is a delicious Japanese noodle dish that's most often served in a hot broth. Whether you use chop sticks or a spoon, there's a lot of slurping involved in eating ramen. While ramen was invented in Japan, it was heavily influenced by southern Chinese noodle dishes. The name itself is a Japanese translation of the Mandarin Chinese lāmiàn, or "pulled noodles." You can use ramen for the noodle soup, topped with tofu, nori, scallions, sliced pork, or egg — and you can also refer to the wheat noodles themselves as ramen.

Example Sentences

It has been used in collaborations with other companies to spike mashed potatoes, protein powder, pickles and ramen.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

I recently tried the Japan-born ramen shop Mensho Tokyo and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 8, 2025

The uncooked ramen adds a lovely crunch to the cookies, while the miso and seasoning fill out the flavor.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025

Yet Japanese chef Satoru Hasuike, who runs a ramen stand in the city, hopes to operate officially in the Azteca "with a street food vibe."

From Barron's • Nov. 5, 2025

Meanwhile, my mom thinks putting an egg in instant ramen is gourmet cooking.

From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh