fish sauce
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 fish sauce
A salty, savory liquid seasoning made by fermenting fish with salt and widely used in Thai cooking.
fish sauce
It refers to the fermented fish seasoning used extensively in Thai cooking and at the table.
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ช่วยส่งน้ำปลาให้หน่อย chûay sòŋ náam plaa hây nɔ̀ɔy Could you pass me the fish sauce? ช่วยส่งน้ำปลาให้หน่อย details
Learning notes
Explanation
น้ำปลา is formed from น้ำ, meaning “water” or “liquid,” and ปลา, meaning “fish.” Together, however, they form the established name for fish sauce rather than literally meaning “fish water.” It is made by fermenting fish or similar ingredients with salt. Its strong saltiness, distinctive aroma, and rich savory flavor make it a basic seasoning in Thai stir-fries, soups, salads, dipping sauces, and many other dishes. Bottles can be counted with ขวด, as in น้ำปลาหนึ่งขวด, “one bottle of fish sauce.” น้ำปลานิดหน่อย means “a little fish sauce.”
Usage
This everyday word is used when cooking or seasoning food, discussing recipe ingredients, shopping for condiments, and asking for fish sauce at the table. When ordering food, ไม่ใส่น้ำปลา can be used to request that no fish sauce be added.
Caution
น้ำปลา is not soy sauce; ordinary soy sauce is called ซีอิ๊ว and has different ingredients and flavor. Because fish sauce contains fish, check whether it is used when preparing food for people with seafood allergies or strict vegetarian or vegan diets.