ramen

IPA/ˈrɑːmən/
IPA/ˈrɑːmən/

ramen — noun

1. A Japanese dish consisting of wheat noodles served in a flavorful broth, typical

1.nounB1
Definition

A Japanese dish consisting of wheat noodles served in a flavorful broth, typically topped with ingredients such as sliced pork, soft-boiled eggs, green onions, and seaweed.

Example

Hana ordered a bowl of tonkotsu ramen with extra pork and a seasoned egg.

quantifier: a bowl of ramen

The ramen shop on Cherry Street simmers its broth for eighteen hours every day.

modifier use: ramen shop

Common collocations
  • bowl of ramen
  • pack of ramen
  • instant ramen
  • tonkotsu ramen
  • miso ramen
  • shoyu ramen
  • ramen shop
  • ramen broth
Synonyms
  • noodle soup

    A broader category that includes many types of broth-based noodle dishes from different cuisines. Ramen is a specific Japanese kind.

  • Japanese noodle soup

    More specific than plain noodle soup, but ramen is still one type among several (such as udon or soba).

Grammar Patterns

a bowl/pack of ramen

ramen + noun (ramen shop, ramen broth)

Usage Note

Ramen is an uncountable noun in English, so it is not used with 'a' or 'two' directly. Instead, use phrases like 'a bowl of ramen', 'a pack of ramen', or 'some ramen'.

Common Mistakes

I ate two ramens for lunch.
I ate two bowls of ramen for lunch.
Ramen is uncountable; use 'bowl of' or 'pack of' before it.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Ramen, pho, and udon are all noodle dishes served in broth, but each comes from a different culinary tradition and uses distinct ingredients. Ramen uses thin, wheat-based noodles in a rich, savory broth (tonkotsu, shoyu, miso, or shio), often topped with sliced pork, soft-boiled egg, and nori. Pho, from Vietnam, uses flat rice noodles in a clear, aromatic beef or chicken broth seasoned with star anise and cinnamon, topped with fresh herbs and bean sprouts. Udon features thick, chewy wheat noodles in a lighter dashi-based broth, typically with fewer toppings. 'Noodles' is the broadest term and includes pasta, rice noodles, and any type of noodle. For example: 'I'm in the mood for spicy ramen from the shop downtown' versus 'Let's get pho with fresh basil and lime' versus 'A bowl of hot udon is perfect on a cold day.'

ramen ↗noodles ↗pho ↗udon ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • a bowl of ramen
  • a pack of ramen
  • a cup of ramen
  • ramen restaurant
  • ramen shop

Prepositions

  • of (a bowl of ramen)
  • with (ramen with pork)
  • in (pork in ramen)

Etymology

ChineseJapaneseEnglish

The word 'ramen' comes from Japanese ラーメン (rāmen), which was borrowed from Chinese 拉麵 (lāmiàn), meaning 'pulled noodles'. The dish itself originated in China and was adapted in Japan in the early 20th century, evolving into the distinct style known worldwide today. English adopted the term through Japanese cuisine's global spread in the mid-to-late 1900s.

First known use

1962

1962, in the meaning defined above