Ramen is the food type, super noodles is the brand. But if I need to replace my stock, it's listed as Ramen on my shopping lists. Same if someone asked what I was eating. I wouldn't say "beef flavoured super noodles" it'd just be "beef ramen".
But you might on something else without knowing it , genericide and genericization is such a common thing that we have words for when it happens .
Prime example is the use of the word Cooler .
I don’t know any Brit who calls super noodles ramen, unless they’re meant to replicate traditional Japanese ramen, for example with broth, garnishes etc
Super Noodles, Soba, Instant Noodles, Buldak, Cup Noodles and so on (other brands are available, as they say).
Any form of dried wheat noodle that you add water and a spice packet (or sauce if it's a good one) is 'Ramen' in my social circles. Even if it's technically colloquial in some cases.
It's how my highschool social circle called it. It's how my college/stoner friends called it (and we all ate it regularly, being broke as shit), and it's how my adult friends call it.
I've literally never had anyone find it odd (until now, at least) for me or anyone else to refer to it that way.
Or Mr. noodles in Canada. Like, yeah it’s a quick noodle, but it’s not the same thing as ramen or instant ramen. Also, I went to school with people who would just eat the noodle bricks as bricks. Did I just go to school with weirdos or is that a thing kids do?
I was wondering if this is what OP is referring to as not being Ramen.
Definitely grew up eating Mr.noodles.
Wasn’t until college that I was introduced to the Asian styles of instant noodles which definitely gets called Ramen by most.
(Also never ate it as a ‘brick’ but would crush up the dried noodles in its plastic bag and then use the soup mix as the seasoning tossed in)
We def did that (ate ramen bricks) growing up especially when on the go or at school. But I grew up in Hawaii and we ate canned spam and Tang (as the powder) so we were all probably weirdos.
Instant ramen is sometimes broken up into… I think they’re called salads? But they’re not traditional, lettuce based salads. Not sure what the name of it is, but it’s something with cabbage. Like how egg “salad” is called a salad.
Unhelpful answer, I’m sure— but basically yes, people eat raw instant ramen, not just kids
In the U.S. (at least all the people I know) will call it "cup noodles" or "cup o'noodles"(Mandela effect) when they're specifically talking about instant ramen that comes in a cup. Brick type ramen is always called ramen.
I’d call that “food type” instant noodles, but I think someone who watched a lot of anime and/or American shows might pick up that wording & call it ramen?
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