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.

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pho British  

/ fəʊ /

noun

1. a Vietnamese noodle soup

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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

She makes pho from scratch, and it’s better than any restaurant you could find.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

My son loves Vietnamese spring rolls and my daughter loves pho.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

For people who really need a hot meal, the office microwave just doesn’t cut it — no one wants their pho coming out smelling like popcorn and old pasta sauce.

From Salon • Sep. 15, 2025

There’s a pho place, a ramen place and Iroha Sushi, my favorite sushi in the city.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 11, 2025

Mr. S.-Oh, I said pho, pho, don't let's have any more of this,— it's making it of too much consequence: no more piping, pray.

From The Diary and Letters of Madame D'Arblay — Volume 1 by Burney, Fanny