Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

ponzu

British  
/ ˈpɒnˌzuː /

noun

  1. a type of Japanese dipping sauce made from orange juice, sake, sugar, soy sauce, and red pepper

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of ponzu

C21: from Japanese

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.

See Examples For:

A first course of kampachi arrived dressed with arctic char roe, ground cherry, serrano, ponzu, and cucumber — buttery and delicate, with a bright, precise balance that lingered just long enough.

From Salon Jan. 13, 2026

It’s got little slices of Mandarin orange over yellowtail fish, with a little bit of Thai chill on top, and sits in a ponzu sauce.

From Los Angeles Times Nov. 14, 2025

No matter how you enjoy it, be prepared to be amazed by the power of transformed tofu and the magic of homemade blackberry ponzu.

From Seattle Times May 14, 2024

Right now is the time for soft-shell crabs from the Carolinas, crisp and sweet as you want them to be and enhanced with a dip of ponzu sauce.

From Washington Post Jun. 20, 2022

Steamed managatsuo, a firm, lean Japanese butterfish that sits in a shallow bath of ponzu and is topped with an angry-red ball of spicy grated daikon, may be followed by sea urchin.

From New York Times Nov. 30, 2021

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 12,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training