sriracha: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2/C1Informal, used in culinary and everyday contexts.
Quick answer
What does “sriracha” mean?
A spicy, tangy condiment made primarily from chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar, and salt, typically used as a sauce.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A spicy, tangy condiment made primarily from chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar, and salt, typically used as a sauce.
Can refer to a specific brand or style of hot sauce, to any food or dish flavoured with or resembling it, or more broadly to the cultural phenomenon surrounding its popularity.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Greater familiarity and frequency of use in American English due to earlier/more widespread market penetration. In the UK, it might be explicitly described as 'sriracha hot sauce' more often.
Connotations
Both regions associate it with trendy, modern cuisine, but in the US it has a longer history as a mainstream condiment.
Frequency
Significantly higher frequency in American English.
Grammar
How to Use “sriracha” in a Sentence
[drizzle/squirt/add] + sriracha + [on/over/to] + [food item][food item] + [with] + srirachaVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sriracha” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Let's sriracha these nachos for extra kick.
- He sriracha'd his pizza liberally.
American English
- I'm going to sriracha my eggs.
- She srirachaed the entire bowl of pho.
adverb
British English
- The dish was sriracha-spiced to perfection.
American English
- The wings were cooked sriracha-style.
adjective
British English
- These are amazing sriracha-flavoured crisps.
- He ordered the sriracha chicken wings.
American English
- Try the sriracha aioli with your fries.
- She loves the sriracha burger.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Discussed in food industry reports, marketing, and supply chain contexts (e.g., 'sriracha production faced a pepper shortage').
Academic
Rare, but may appear in cultural studies, food history, or sociology papers on culinary trends.
Everyday
Common in cooking, restaurant menus, and casual conversation about food preferences (e.g., 'I put sriracha on everything').
Technical
Used in culinary arts, food science, and product formulation discussions.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “sriracha”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “sriracha”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sriracha”
- Mispronouncing as 'sri-RAH-cha' with a hard 'ch' as in 'church'.
- Misspelling as 'sriricha', 'sriraha', or 'siracha'.
- Using it as a countable noun (e.g., 'two srirachas').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In American English, the initial 'sr' cluster is often pronounced. In British English, it's commonly simplified to /sɪˈrɑː.tʃə/, starting with an 's' sound.
While it's sometimes used generically, it refers specifically to a style of smooth, tangy, garlicky hot sauce. Using it for, say, Tabasco or a habanero sauce would be inaccurate.
It is named after the coastal city of Si Racha in Thailand, where a similar style of sauce originated.
Yes, in informal culinary contexts, especially in the US. You might see 'sriracha mayo' (adjective) or 'to sriracha something' (verb), though these are colloquial extensions.
A spicy, tangy condiment made primarily from chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar, and salt, typically used as a sauce.
Sriracha is usually informal, used in culinary and everyday contexts. in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “as popular as sriracha”
- “a sriracha moment (referring to its rise in popularity)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a rooster (logo of a major brand) crowing 'SEE-RAH-CHA!' because it loves spicy food.
Conceptual Metaphor
HEAT/SPICE IS INTENSITY/EXCITEMENT ('That movie needed some sriracha').
Practice
Quiz
Sriracha is most accurately described as: