rice paper

noun

1

: a thin papery material made from the pith of a small Asian tree or shrub (Tetrapanax papyriferum) of the ginseng family

also : a thin paper made from various usually Asian plants (such as the paper mulberry)

2

: a paper-thin sheet of dough made from rice flour and tapioca that is usually used to wrap a filling (as of minced vegetables or ground meat)

Ground pork, carrots, onions and cellophane noodles are wrapped so that the green vegetables show through the translucent white rice paper.

—Donna Hilts

Examples of rice paper in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Sliding walls with windows covered in rice paper and glass opened to reveal exquisite gardens, enjoyed only by visiting dignitaries who entered through their own special gate. —Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2023

Another solution is to use rice paper or wooden screens as room dividers. —Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Oct. 2023

The same goes for her rice paper egg rolls and chicken porridge videos. —Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2023

Water Lantern Festival at National Harbor As soon as the sky over National Harbor dims, participants in the Water Lantern Festival will launch thousands of glowing lanterns made of wood, rice paper and reusable LED candles into the Potomac River. —Chris Kelly, Washington Post, 3 Aug. 2023

Not to knock them—rice paper and lettuce wrap sides are versatile, healthy, and delicious. —Su-Jit Lin, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 June 2023

Diners can count on the friendly staff to make recommendations and warn against taking spring rolls home, out of concern the supple rice paper wrappers will go dry. —Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 24 July 2023

From the shape of the handsome leather lounger to the artful rice paper light sculpture and the geometric carpet, each element both complements and enriches the others. —Hadley Mendelsohn, House Beautiful, 26 June 2023

The beloved Lantern Festival (usually in November) consists of Yi Peng, where thousands of rice paper lanterns are released into the sky, and Loy Krathong, where candlelit baskets are set into water. —Anne Olivia Bauso, Travel + Leisure, 1 June 2023

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Word History

Etymology

from its resemblance to paper made from rice straw

First Known Use

1810, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

rice paper

noun

: a thin papery material made from the spongy inner part of the stem of an Asian shrub or small tree related to the ginseng