pho

Where does the word "pho" come from? It comes from French pot-au-feu, passing through Vietnamese before entering English (1900s-2000s).

Pho’s story begins in French: pot-au-feu meant “a beef and vegetable stew.” Literally "pot on the fire", a French beef and vegetable stew. By 1900s, the word had taken hold in Vietnamese as pho. Adapted during French colonial rule into a beef noodle soup. It reached English by 1900s-2000s as pho. Likely from French 'pot-au-feu' or Chinese 'fen', rice noodles; developed in Hanoi around 1900. Today, pho means a Vietnamese soup of broth, rice noodles, herbs, and meat.

1. Stage 1 · French · 1800s pot-au-feu "a beef and vegetable stew", literally "pot on the fire", a French beef and vegetable stew.
2. Stage 2 · Vietnamese · 1900s pho "a beef noodle soup", adapted during French colonial rule into a beef noodle soup.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1900s-2000s pho "a Vietnamese noodle soup", likely from French 'pot-au-feu' or Chinese 'fen', rice noodles; developed in Hanoi around 1900.