gyoza

Where does the word "gyoza" come from? It comes from Chinese jiǎozi, passing through Japanese before entering English (late 1900s).

Gyoza’s story begins in Chinese: jiǎozi meant “a filled boiled or fried dumpling.” The Chinese dumpling brought back to Japan by soldiers and settlers. By 1940s, the word had taken hold in Japanese as gyōza. Adapted into a pan-fried version that became a postwar Japanese staple. It reached English by late 1900s as gyoza. Borrowed as Japanese restaurant menus spread internationally. Today, gyoza means a pan-fried, crescent-shaped dumpling filled with meat and vegetables.

1. Stage 1 · Chinese · ancient jiǎozi "a filled boiled or fried dumpling", the Chinese dumpling brought back to Japan by soldiers and settlers.
2. Stage 2 · Japanese · 1940s gyōza "a pan-fried dumpling", adapted into a pan-fried version that became a postwar Japanese staple.
3. Stage 3 · English · late 1900s gyoza "a pan-fried Japanese-style dumpling", borrowed as Japanese restaurant menus spread internationally.