shabu-shabu

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

Shabu-shabu’s story begins in Japanese: shabu-shabu meant “thin sliced meat swished and cooked in broth.” An onomatopoeic name mimicking the swishing sound of meat swirled through hot broth. It reached English by late 1900s as shabu-shabu. Borrowed as Japanese hot-pot restaurants spread internationally. Today, shabu-shabu means a Japanese hot-pot dish in which thin slices of meat and vegetables are swished through simmering broth.

1. Stage 1 · Japanese · 1950s shabu-shabu "thin sliced meat swished and cooked in broth", an onomatopoeic name mimicking the swishing sound of meat swirled through hot broth.
2. Stage 2 · English · late 1900s shabu-shabu "a Japanese hot-pot dish of meat and vegetables swished in broth", borrowed as Japanese hot-pot restaurants spread internationally.