tofu

[ toh-foo ]

/ ˈtoʊ fu /

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noun

a soft, bland, white cheeselike food, high in protein content, made from curdled soymilk: used in Asian and vegetarian cooking.

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Also called bean curd

[been-kurd]. /ˈbin ˌkɜrd/.

Origin of tofu

First recorded in 1875–80; from Japanese tōfu, from Middle Chinese, equivalent to Chinese dòufu (dòu “bean” + fǔ “turn sour, ferment”)

Words nearby tofu

toffee, toffee-apple, toffee-nosed, toffish, toft, tofu, tog, toga, toga praetexta, togate, togated

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use tofu in a sentence

I was completely out of water and the leftover BBQ tofu wings I brought from Memphis were long gone so I decided to stop for lunch.
Bump This State to the Top of Your Post-Pandemic Wishlist|Cassandra Brooklyn|August 26, 2021|The Daily Beast
Or, if you prefer, you also could make this with ground chicken or turkey or crumbled tofu, but you’d have to kick up the seasoning a bit.
Tomatoes, eggplant and sausage make a quick sauce for this one-pot pasta|Ann Maloney|July 13, 2021|Washington Post
For protein, add hard-boiled eggs, poached fish or smoked tofu.
Le grand aioli is dip for dinner, the French way|Daniela Galarza|July 1, 2021|Washington Post
I ordered the latter with fried tofu, which sponges up the red curry and contrasts nicely with the crisp broccoli in the bowl.
Sisters Thai in Potomac reminds us that food isn’t everything|Tom Sietsema|April 23, 2021|Washington Post

“Ugali doesn’t ride its own wave,” says a server, who compares the staple to tofu, in that ugali absorbs the flavor of whatever it touches.
Swahili Village brings a taste of African fine dining to D.C.|Tom Sietsema|April 2, 2021|Washington Post
That is not the tofu you see in groceries or even the meat substitute sold in vegetarian places.
Tales of a Jailhouse Gourmet: How I learned to Cook in Prison|Daniel Genis|June 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At the checkout, her total for bananas, arugula, blackberries, kale, yogurt, rice noodles, and tofu comes to $34.21.
The Gluten-Free Diet Has Two Faces|Andrea Powell|May 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Canadian Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Gail Shea got a mouthful of tofu tart while giving a speech in Burlington, Ontario.
They Got Pied!||July 19, 2011|DAILY BEAST
If you think you did the right thing by choosing sweet and sour tofu, think again.
9 Unhealthiest Takeout Foods|Divya Gugnani|October 24, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Rest assured, bacon-flavored tofu is probably next on the horizon.
6 Food Trends That Should Disappear|Jacquelynn D. Powers|June 25, 2010|DAILY BEAST
In a third are boiled buckwheat cakes or dumplings, and tofu or bean-curd.
Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Vol. XII, No. 29. August, 1873.|Various
From odorless garlic to tofu smelling of pork chops, everything is within the possibility of biochemistry.
The Civilization of Illiteracy|Mihai Nadin
Little Cub was there, safe enough, but very hungry, and wanted to begin upon the tofu at once.
Boys and Girls Bookshelf (Vol 2 of 17)|Various

British Dictionary definitions for tofu

tofu

/ (ˈtəʊˌfuː) /

noun

unfermented soya-bean curd, a food with a soft cheeselike consistency made from soya-bean milk

Word Origin for tofu

from Japanese

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