What does yuzu mean?
Yuzu is a small, aromatic yellow citrus fruit known for its intensely fragrant peel and tart juice. It is used fresh, as a drink, and as a flavouring in sauces, dressings, desserts, and spirits. In English, the word is a borrowing from Japanese and now belongs especially to culinary vocabulary rather than general everyday speech. Its name ultimately comes from Chinese and is associated with pomelo-type citrus. Although yuzu resembles a small lemon and is sometimes described as Japanese citron, it is a distinct citrus type and not a general synonym for lemon, lime, or grapefruit. The word can refer to the fruit, the tree that bears it, and products or flavours made from it. Its concentrated aroma makes it valuable in cuisine, where only a small amount can perfume an entire dish. Familiar expressions include yuzu juice, yuzu zest, and yuzu kosho, a Japanese condiment made from the peel.
nounA small, aromatic yellow citrus fruit with a fragrant rind, used fresh and for its juice, zest, and flavouring. The word can also denote the tree that produces the fruit.
- The small, aromatic yellow fruit of a citrus tree, used fresh or processed for juice, zest, and flavouring.
- Juice or flavouring made from yuzu fruit.
- The citrus tree that produces yuzu fruit.
"She brightened the dressing with fresh yuzu juice."
"The bartender added a spoonful of yuzu to the sparkling water."
"The yuzu tree in the courtyard bore fruit through the mild winter."
Countable uses commonly take the plural yuzus, while yuzu is also used as a mass noun for the fruit or its pulp.
"The grocer sold three yuzus and a bundle of fresh mint."
The scent of yuzu lives in the aromatic oils in its peel, so cooks can perfume an entire dish with a tiny amount of zest.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of yuzu
The English word comes from Japanese yuzu (ユズ), the name used for the citrus fruit and its juice. The name traces to the Chinese compound 柚子 (yòuzi), with 柚 (yòu) denoting pomelo and related citrus fruits. Chinese formations such as 甜柚 and 沙田柚 preserve the same character and etymon.
Related word forms
How yuzu is actually used
The term is most natural in culinary and food-and-drink contexts. Outside those contexts it can sound specialist or fashionable, and it should not be used loosely as a general term for citrus fruit.