yuzu

British  

/ ˈjuːzuː /

noun

1. a citrus fruit about the size of a golf ball, a hybrid of a primitive citrus called Ichang papeda and a mandarin, which grows on tall trees in Japan and has a strong sour flavour. Its rind and juice are a popular ingredient in Japanese cookery

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Etymology

Origin of yuzu

C21: Japanese

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Explanation

A yuzu is a sour fruit that's related to lemons and oranges. A ripe yuzu is the size of a clementine and has a bumpy peel that's bright yellow. The fragrant East Asian yuzu is a hybrid fruit, a cross between a sour mandarin orange and an Ichang papeda. It was originally grown in China, though it's most often found in Japanese and Korean cuisine, from soups and sauces to desserts. Yuzu isn't just sour — its flavor is complex, often described as a combination of citrus fruits with floral undertones. Yuzu is Japanese, and in Korean it's called yuja.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

yuzu

Exotic flavors such as yuzu and seaweed are slightly more, while black truffle is an extravagance at nearly €17.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026

Later, in 2018, a photographer named Katsuhito Watanabe exploded in popularity outside his native Japan with his videos of capybaras in yuzu baths.

From Slate ● May 27, 2026

A nod to the 1970s, the Superfly is a fizzy, citrus-forward play on Curtis Mayfield’s 1972 track and is made with Roku Gin and yuzu and sencha syrup.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2026

Other standouts included flamed A5 wagyu topped with foie gras and melt-in-your-mouth hamachi in yuzu and soy, finished with serrano and a dollop of sriracha.

From Salon ● Feb. 2, 2026

Seoul's presidential office said the drink was flavoured with yuzu, a citrus fruit.

From Barron's ● Nov. 1, 2025

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