All words ›Mapo tofu
FoodHow to pronounce “Mapo tofu”
麻婆豆腐má pó dòu fu
Literally: pockmarked old woman’s tofu — named after the cook who invented it.
❌ What English speakers usually say
“MAY-po TOE-foo”
✅ What to say instead
mah-PWO doh-fu — two rising syllables, then a fall and a light neutral
The shape of the word
Tap any syllable to hear it. The curve above each one is the tone you are aiming for.
Syllable by syllable
| Syllable | Tone | Practise it |
|---|---|---|
| 麻 má | Second tone — rising | ma — open drill → |
| 婆 pó | Second tone — rising | po — open drill → |
| 豆 dòu | Fourth tone — sharp fall | dou — open drill → |
| 腐 fu | Neutral tone — short and weightless | fu — open drill → |
Questions people ask
How do you pronounce Mapo tofu?
Mapo tofu is 麻婆豆腐, má pó dòu fu — mah-PWO doh-fu — two rising syllables, then a fall and a light neutral. Literally it means pockmarked old woman’s tofu — named after the cook who invented it.
What is the most common mistake with Mapo tofu?
“MAY-po TOE-foo”
More words people mispronounce
Can you actually say it?
Reading a respelling is not the same as producing the tones. The free 2-minute check listens to you and shows which syllables land wrong.