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 McManus

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

Skip the delivery fees and whip up a stir-fry featuring this balanced blend of soy sauce, ginger, and chili—no artificial flavors or colors. —Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Apr. 2026

There’s a variety of classic sushi rolls like Philadelphia rolls or specialties like the Jayhawk roll (cream cheese, avocado, shrimp tempura and spicy tuna) as well as sashimi (individual pieces of fish served with ginger, soy sauce and wasabi). —Jenna Thompson april 15, Kansas City Star, 15 Apr. 2026

Add the tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, the soy sauce and sugar, and cook, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes collapse and their juices pool, 2 to 3 minutes. —The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026

Ketchup, brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, and bourbon combine for the delicious signature sauce. —Amanda Favazza, Southern Living, 15 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1775, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for soy sauce

• across
• backcross
• crisscross
• lacrosse
• recross
• tomas
• albatross
• applesauce
• barabbas
• helios
• kshatriyas
• blas

Kids Definition

soy sauce

noun

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