soy sauce

noun

variants or less commonly soy or chiefly British soya sauce

: a brown, salty liquid that is made by subjecting soybeans and roasted grain (such as wheat) to long fermentation in brine and is used especially in Asian cooking and as a condiment

At its most basic, soy sauce is a fermented liquid made from soybeans and wheat. Soybeans contribute a strong, pungent taste, while wheat lends sweetness.

—Lisa McManuse

My most recent kick has been Chinese. For more than a year now I've been stir-frying everything in ginger and garlic and adding soy sauce.

—Andrew A. Rooney

see shoyu

Examples of soy sauce in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But a couple of years ago food stylist Caroline Hwang, who is also co-founder of Synonym magazine, introduced me to her recipe for the Hawaiian version featuring furikake and a sweet soy sauce glaze that caramelizes in the oven to exquisite crunchiness. —Betty Hallock, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2025

The fly went off to be one of 15 on the lid of the soy sauce bucket next to the cookline. —David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2025

Add tomatoes, broth, and sauces: Add tomatoes, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce and bring to a boil over high, stirring occasionally. —Marianne Williams, Southern Living, 28 Jan. 2025

This recipe marinates the rich salmon in lemon juice, soy sauce and herbs. —The New York Times News Service Syndicate, The Denver Post, 27 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1775, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

soy sauce

noun

: a brown sauce made from soybeans and used especially in Chinese and Japanese cooking