How is tempura pronounced?
Tempura. In English, this is typically pronounced “Tem-poor-uh”.
Why is it tempura and not Tenpura?
In Japanese, when ん appears before a syllable beginning with p or b, the ん is pronounced somewhat like an m. If it were written as ‘tenpura‘ instead, it would be using a phoneme that is very uncommon in English. The word tempura comes originally from Portuguese, where it’s written as ‘tempurá’.
What is Japanese tempura?
Tempura is one of the most common Japanese dishes served outside of Japan. Along with sushi, it’s synonymous with ‘Japanese food’ in the minds of many. This is a dish that consists of vegetables and seafood battered and deep fried, and served over rice or noodles.