dim sum

US/ˈdɪmˈsʌm/US, UK/ˈdɪm.sʌm/US, UK/dɪmˈsʌm/UK/ˈdɪm.sʊm/

noun

A Cantonese-style meal traditionally eaten in the morning or early afternoon, comprising tea and food typically placed in small steamer baskets or on small plates, and often served from carts that move around from table to table in a restaurant.

Similar

Meanings

noundim sum (uncountable)

alternative dimsum

  1. uncountableA Cantonese-style meal traditionally eaten in the morning or early afternoon, comprising tea and food typically placed in small steamer baskets or on small plates, and often served from carts that move around from table to table in a restaurant.
  2. uncountableThe food served at a dim sum meal, typically including dumplings, seafood, and desserts.
    1 more example

    King Chef (2F Main Mall, 0932 323 1871) serves healthy food and authentic Cantonese cuisine in a fine dining setup. For Father's Day, treat the whole family to its dim sum platters! It has a roasted platter which includes soyed chicken, roast duck, barbecued pork asado, fried five-spice roll, and soyed cucumber with century egg. Another option is the steamed dim sum platter, where you can devour a spread of hakaw, pork & shrimp siomai, Japanese siomai, beancurd roll, and Taosi spareribs.

    2022 June 18, “Go on a Binondo food trip this Father's Day at Lucky Chinatown”, in Manila Bulletin, Manila: Manila Bulletin Publishing Corporation, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 22 Jun 2022

    Synonyms: yum cha

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe food served at a dim sum meal, typically including dumplings, seafood, and desserts.

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Also see

Origin

  1. Cantonese點心
  2. Cantonese點心
  3. Englishdim sum

Borrowed from Cantonese 點心/点心 (dim² sam¹), literally “to touch the heart gently; to skim the heart; to refresh the heart; to quicken the heart; heart-warming; to kindle the fire of the heart”.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Cantonese 點心 /点心
  • 點心 /点心 (dim² sam¹)dim sum
Chinese Mandarin 點心 /点心
  • 點心 /点心 (diǎnxīn)dim sum
Finnish dim sum
  • dim sumdim sum
French dimsum
  • dimsumdim sum
German Dim Sum, Dimsum
  • Dim Sumdim sum
  • Dimsumdim sum
Hebrew דים סאם
  • דים סאםdim sum
Japanese 点心
  • 点心dim sum
Korean 딤섬
  • 딤섬 (dimseom)dim sum
Polish dim sum
  • dim sumdim sum
Portuguese dim sum
  • dim sumdim sum
Russian димса́м, дяньси́нь
  • димса́м (dimsám)dim sum
  • дяньси́нь (djanʹsínʹ)dim sum
Tagalog dimsum
  • dimsumdim sum
Thai ติ่มซำ
  • ติ่มซำ (dtìm-sam)dim sum
Vietnamese điểm sấm
  • điểm sấmdim sum
Cite this entry
APA

dim sum. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dim%20sum

MLA

“dim sum.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dim%20sum. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dim sum,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dim%20sum.

Source: dim sum on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.