dòu fu
tofu; caillé de soja
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我喜欢吃豆腐。
wǒ xǐhuān chī dòufu.
I like to eat tofu.
豆腐是中国的传统食品。
dòufu shì zhōngguó de chuántǒng shípǐn.
Tofu is a traditional Chinese food.
豆腐的营养价值很高。
dòufu de yíngyǎng jiàzhí hěn gāo.
Tofu is very nutritious.
豆腐脑 (dòufunǎo)
tofu pudding
豆腐渣 (dòufuzhā)
tofu dregs
肉 (ròu)
meat
鱼 (yú)
fish
The Chinese word 豆腐 (dòufu) for tofu has an interesting etymology. The first character, 豆 (dòu), means "bean", and the second character, 腐 (fǔ), originally meant "fermented" or "curdled". In ancient China, tofu was made by soaking soybeans in water, grinding them into a paste, and then boiling the mixture. The resulting liquid was then curdled with a coagulant, such as gypsum or salt, and the curds were pressed into blocks. The word 豆腐 thus literally means "fermented bean curd".Over time, the meaning of the character 腐 (fǔ) has changed, and it is now used to refer to any type of fermented food. However, the original meaning of the character is still preserved in the word 豆腐, which is a reminder of the ancient origins of this delicious and nutritious food.
