soy sauce

/sɔɪ sɔs/

/sɔɪ sɔs/

Soy sauce is a dark brown, salty condiment that's served with dishes like sushi and Chinese dumplings.

Soy sauce, which is made from fermented soy beans, was invented in China hundreds of years ago. It's a familiar condiment to people all over the world, and its salty, savory taste embodies umami flavor. Soy sauce is ideal for making bland or under-seasoned food more interesting and tasty. In Japanese, it's shoyu, from the Chinese shi-yu, which means "fermented soy beans and oil."

Definitions of soy sauce

1. noun

   a brown liquid used to flavor food, used especially in Japanese and Chinese cooking
   synonyms: soy

   type of:

   condiment

   a preparation (a sauce or relish or spice) to enhance flavor or enjoyment