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Meaning & use

pupu platter

noun·EverydayAmerican

Last updated

UK/ˈpuːpuː ˌplætə/
US/ˈpuːpuː ˌplætər/

Meanings

  1. nouncountableAmerican

    A shared tray of assorted small appetizers, often served at Chinese-American or Polynesian-style restaurants.

    Grammar: Countable: order a pupu platter for the table.

    Patterns

    • order a pupu platter
    • share a pupu platter

    We shared a pupu platter before the main courses.

    The pupu platter came with egg rolls, ribs and fried shrimp.

    She ordered the pupu platter for the whole table.

  2. nouncountableregional

    In Hawaii, a selection of snacks or small dishes served before a meal or at a party.

    Grammar: Used in Hawaiian English.

    Patterns

    • a pupu platter of something

    Their party featured a pupu platter of poke and fried chicken.

    The host brought out a pupu platter at sundown.

    A pupu platter is a popular choice for birthday gatherings.

Word forms

pluralpupu platters

Common combinations

order a pupu platter
Let's order a pupu platter to start.
share a pupu platter
The four of us shared a pupu platter.
pupu platter for two
The restaurant has a pupu platter for two.
build a pupu platter
She built a pupu platter for the party.
pupu platter appetizer
The pupu platter appetizer disappeared quickly.

Synonyms and how they differ

appetizer platter
Appetizer platter is a general term, while pupu platter points to a specific mix with Hawaiian or Chinese-American roots.
sampler
A sampler may be any assortment of dishes, not necessarily small starters.
starter
Starter is the British word for one first course, but pupu platter is a shared tray of several.
hors d'oeuvres
Hors d'oeuvres sounds more formal, and it is usually served at receptions, not to share at a table.

Word family

pupu noun
the Hawaiian word for a small snack
platter noun
a large flat serving dish
appetizer noun
a small dish before a meal
sampler noun
a selection of small portions

Commonly confused: pupu platter or poo-poo?

pupu platter vs poo-poo

Do not confuse the pronunciation with a childish word for waste; pupu is pronounced with two long oo sounds in Hawaiian and in this term.

Practice

The group ordered a ___ to share before the main courses arrived.

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