wonton

IPA/ˌwɒnˈtɒn/
IPA/ˈwɑːntɑːn/

wonton — noun

1. a thin, square pastry wrapper folded around a savoury filling of minced meat or

1.nounA2
Definition

a thin, square pastry wrapper folded around a savoury filling of minced meat or seafood, which is then boiled in broth or deep-fried until crisp

Example

Bao ordered a large bowl of wonton soup from the market stall.

countable noun; often in compound 'wonton soup'

The chef showed Mizuki how to fold the wonton wrappers into little pouches.

collocation: fold wonton wrappers

Common collocations
  • wonton soup
  • fried wonton
  • wonton wrapper
  • wonton noodle
  • shrimp wonton
  • pork wonton
Synonyms
  • dumpling

    a broader category that includes wontons, jiaozi, gyoza, and others

Usage Note

Often used in compound nouns such as 'wonton soup', 'fried wonton', and 'wonton wrapper'. The plural form 'wontons' is very common in everyday speech.

Common Mistakes

I ordered a wonton from the Chinese place.' (when meaning the whole bowl of soup)
I ordered wonton soup from the Chinese place.
'wonton' alone refers to the dumpling; the soup dish is called 'wonton soup'.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four terms refer to filled dough parcels, but they differ in wrapper thickness, shape, and cooking method. 'Dumpling' is the broadest category, covering any filled dough ball or parcel from any cuisine. 'Wonton' has a thin, square wrapper, typically folded into a pouch shape, and is most often served in broth or deep-fried. 'Jiaozi' (or potsticker) uses a thicker round wrapper and is usually pan-fried on one side then steamed, giving a crispy bottom. 'Gyoza' is the Japanese version of jiaozi, with a thinner, smaller wrapper and a more finely ground filling. For example: 'The wontons floated in the clear chicken broth,' but 'The jiaozi were arranged in a pan with their crispy bottoms facing up.'

dumpling ↗jiaozigyoza ↗potsticker

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • bowl of wontons
  • order of wontons
  • plate of fried wontons

Prepositions

  • in (soup)
  • with (sauce)

Etymology

CantoneseEnglish

Borrowed into English from Cantonese 雲吞 (wan4 tan1), which literally means 'cloud swallow' — a poetic description of the dumplings floating in broth like clouds or small swallows. The dish originated in southern China and became known in the West through Cantonese restaurants in the early 20th century.

First known use

1933

1933, in the meaning defined above