Meaning of shoyu-tai | Babel Free

Definitions

A single-use plastic soy sauce recipient in the format of a fish.

Examples

“South Australia is set to become the first place on Earth to ban the iconic plastic soy sauce fish, known in Japan as shoyu-tai or the “soy-sauce snapper.” Invented in 1954 by Teruo Watanabe, these adorable polyethylene soy sauce dispensers were initially dubbed the “Lunch Charm.””

“If you’ve ever indulged in takeaway or delivery sushi, you may be familiar with shoyu-tai, a tiny, fish-shaped plastic container created in Japan and now widely popular. These single-use bottles that often only contain a few drops of soy sauce have a less-cute destiny, contributing to the plastic waste problem in our global oceans. Australians Angus Ware and Jeffrey Simpson of Sydney-based Heliograf were inspired both by the iconic, cute fish, and the desire to lessen their environmental impact. The duo designed a portable lamp made from 75% recycled ocean-bound plastic, and funds 2 kilograms of plastic cleanup for every lamp sold.”

“Launched in the 1950s, the single-use soy packets shaped like a fish – and called “shoyu-tai” in Japanese – were invented to replace glass or ceramic soy bottles. They also became popular with takeaway sushi vendors because of their convenience and cuteness.”

CEFR level