adzuki

Where does the word "adzuki" come from? It comes from Japanese azuki, and was adopted directly into English (1800s-1900s).

Adzuki’s story begins in Japanese: azuki meant “a small red bean.” The native name for the small reddish bean used in sweets. It reached English by 1800s-1900s as adzuki. The Japanese name spread with Western interest in Japanese botany and cooking; the 'dz' spelling reflects an older romanization. Today, adzuki means a small reddish bean commonly used in East Asian sweet pastes and desserts.

1. Stage 1 · Japanese · ancient azuki "a small red bean", the native name for the small reddish bean used in sweets.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1800s-1900s adzuki "a small red bean used in East Asian sweets", the Japanese name spread with Western interest in Japanese botany and cooking; the 'dz' spelling reflects an older romanization.