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

I could also skip the kettle for ramen and tea, but that’s a lot to ask.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 1, 2026

Images from that novel come to me unbidden when I’m alone making ramen, leaning into a cold wind or calming down my hypervigilant Doberman mutt.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 30, 2026

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

Items like single-serve mac and cheese cups, ramen packs, granola bars, oatmeal, fruit snacks, pretzels, cheese and crackers, clementines and protein bars are great alternatives — or additions — to the traditional candy bowl.

From Salon • Oct. 30, 2025

“I’ve never had ramen like that either. We’ve only ever eaten the stuff from the foam cup.”

From "Starfish" by Akemi Dawn Bowman