“Somebody asked if I have time to spell Wonton backwards? I said, ‘not now’”
“Wonton” spelled backwards is “notnow” (‘not now”).
This is sometimes made into a joke that women—especially Jewish women—like to avoid having sex. “Here is a joke I heard from Jews in New York City in the 1983: Why is a Jewish American Princess like wonton? [Answer]: Because it spells not now backwards” was printed in the Jewish Language Review (1983). “@jlojlo: LOL- Harvard did a study on why Jewish women like Chinese food so much. It’s cuz Wonton spelled backwards is Not Now” was posted on Twitter by hkdb on June 24, 2008. “Q: Why is wonton soup a Jewish American Princess’s favorite soup? A: Because it’s ‘not now’ spelled backwards” was posted on Twitter by Frank Massaro on December 1, 2009. “wanna know why women love chinese food? because wonton spelled backwards is NOT NOW…..please laugh” was posted on Twitter by SMOKINHAMS on November 12, 2010.
“Ask a really busy person if they can spare the time to say ‘wonton’ backwards. If they say ‘not now!’, give them a thumbs up” was posted on Twitter by Jason on November 3, 2012. “Somebody asked if I have time to spell Wonton backwards?... I said, ‘not now’...” was posted on Twitter by lals on May 26, 2020.
Wikipedia: Wonton
A wonton (simplified Chinese: 云吞; traditional Chinese: 雲吞), also spelled wantan, or wuntun in transliteration from Cantonese; wenden/ɦwəɲd̼əɲ/ in Shanghainese; Mandarin: húntun (馄饨/餛飩) is a type of Chinese dumpling commonly found across regional styles of Chinese cuisine.
Google Books
Jewish Language Review
Volume 3
1983
Pg. 382:
Here is a joke I heard from Jews in New York City in the 1983: Why is a Jewish American Princess like wonton? [Answer]: Because it spells not now backwards.
Google Books
Jokes My Mother Never Told Me
By Marc Barry
New York, NY: Shapolsky Publishers, Inc.
1992
Pg. 158:
Why do JAPs like wonton soup?
Because spelled backwards, it “NOT NOW!”
Twitter
hkdb
@hkdb
Retweeting
@jlojlo: LOL- Harvard did a study on why Jewish women like Chinese food so much. It’s cuz Wonton spelled backwards is Not Now
1:20 PM · Jun 24, 2008·Twitter Web Client
Reddit.com
Posted by u/monkv6 September 28, 2009
Hey Reddit, just noticed this spelling “Won Ton” backwards yields “Not Now”. Don’t know about you guys, but it is always Wonton time at my house.
Twitter
Frank Massaro
@Frank__Massaro
Q: Why is wonton soup a Jewish American Princess’s favorite soup? A: Because it’s “not now” spelled backwards.
2:30 AM · Dec 1, 2009·qTweeter
Twitter
Duhbuhyou
@duhbuhyou
LOL: “Wonton spelled backwards is NotNow!” ~Jessy K:)
9:22 PM · Jan 27, 2010·Twitter Web Client
Twitter
meatty
@meatty
“You know why wives like Chinese food?”
“No. Why?”
“Because wonton spelled backwards is not now.”
3:55 AM · Sep 25, 2010·Brizzly
Twitter
SMOKINHAMS
@marfmellow
wanna know why women love chinese food? because wonton spelled backwards is NOT NOW…..please laugh.
4:58 PM · Nov 12, 2010·Twitter Web Client
Twitter
iDoStandup
@iDoStandup
Researchers at Harvard have discovered why Jewish women love Chinese resturants… Wonton spelled backwards is “NotNow”.
7:06 PM · Dec 30, 2010·Hootsuite
Twitter
Simon Ronquillo
@pscye_twitt
read somewhere: my girlfriend’s favorite dish is wonton soup bec backwards it’s ‘not now’
5:51 PM · Oct 3, 2011·Echofon
Twitter
Dree Hemingway
@dreelovechild
Why do jewish women love chinese food… Because wonton spelled backwards is NOT NOW!
4:29 PM · Nov 4, 2011·Twitter for BlackBerry®
Twitter
Evan Shaw
@shaw_so_hard
“We can’t eat wonton soup. It’s ‘not now’ spelled backwards.” #stuffmygrandpasays
7:44 PM · Jul 30, 2012·Twitter for iPhone
Twitter
Dr. Jennifer Hanes
@DrHanes
Why do women order wonton soup?
Because backwards it spells not now.
Read that in a Nelson DeMille book years… http://fb.me/1yt2MBl1B
9:19 AM · Oct 24, 2012·Facebook
Twitter
Jason
@NickMotown
Ask a really busy person if they can spare the time to say ‘wonton’ backwards. If they say ‘not now!’, give them a thumbs up.
4:06 AM · Nov 3, 2012·Twitter for iPhone
Twitter
Tιм Prιce-Boweɴ
@timpricebowen
Ask a really busy person if they can spare the time to say ‘wonton’ backwards. If they say ‘not now!’, congratulate them #TimsTopTips
4:43 PM · Dec 13, 2012·TwitBird
Twitter
BarBat Mitzvah Guide
@BarMitzvahGuide
Q: Why do Jewish women enjoy Chinese food so much?
A: WonTon spelled backwards is “Not Now”.
10:01 AM · Mar 29, 2013·Buffer
Twitter
-____-
@caaaaamilaaaaaa
NOTNOW IS WONTON BACKWARDS OMG
9:43 PM · May 20, 2013·iOS
Twitter
Comedian MizT
@MizTcomedy
Jewish women really enjoy Chinese food because WonTon spelled backwards is “Not Now”.
7:53 AM · Jan 29, 2014·Twitter Web Client
Twitter
Mollie
@mollwass
Wonton backwards is notnow
2:44 AM · Mar 13, 2014 from Merrick, NY·Twitter for iPhone
Twitter
Sundance Kid
@sshekhar124
Ask a really busy person if they can spare the time to say “wonton” backwards.
If they say “not now!” give them a smile and a thumbs up.
12:27 PM · Sep 10, 2014·Twitter for Android
Twitter
Vince Ruggiero_41
@VINCE_RUGGIERO
Anybody ever notice that “Wonton” spelled backwards in Wonton soup is “notnow?” #wheeloffortune A Sajak observation.
7:52 PM · Feb 26, 2015·Twitter for Android
Twitter
East Sushi
@EastSushiNJ
Wonton spelled backwards is “not now”, which is what I say when I’m eating wontons.
7:03 PM · May 29, 2015·Main Street Hub
Twitter
zoë bread
@zoebread
can you tell me what wonton is backwards?
‘not now’
fine whatever
8:24 PM · Apr 27, 2016·Twitter for iPhone
Twitter
LandPhil
@magelp
Why do Jewish girls love Chinese food so much, cause wonton backwards is not now
8:22 PM · Jun 23, 2016·Twitter for iPhone
Twitter
jt jackson
@jtj1996
Wonton backwards is notnow.
4:13 AM · Aug 14, 2017·Twitter for iPhone
Twitter
Jason
@NickMotown
Ask a really busy person if they can spare the time to say “wonton” backwards. If they say “not now!”, give them a smile and a thumbs up.
2:03 PM · Dec 18, 2017·Twitter for iPhone
Twitter
Trucker Timmy
@TruckerTimmy75
Why do wives love Chinese food?
Because wonton backwards spells “not now”
12:39 PM · Jan 14, 2018·Twitter for iPhone
Twitter
charles wallis
@ghosteyechas3
I asked my friend to spell wonton backwards and he said not now.
2:06 PM · Jun 4, 2018·Facebook
Twitter
lals
@Alanascottish
Somebody asked if I have time to spell Wonton backwards?...
I said, ‘not now’...
3:10 AM · May 26, 2020·Twitter Web App
Twitter
David Lamb
@fuselamb
I asked a friend to spell wonton backwards.
He said “Not now.”
#DadJokes
8:15 AM · Feb 26, 2021·TweetDeck
Twitter
Hillard Schlachman
@Chalkeater11
We’re having lunch at P F Chang . My girlfriend says : I bet you can’t spell wonton backwards in two seconds .
Me : : Not Now “
11:01 PM · May 22, 2021·Twitter Web App
Twitter
mariana Z
@mariana057
Somebody asked if I have time to spell Wonton backwards?
I said, “not now”...
1:10 AM · May 31, 2021·Twitter for iPhone
Twitter
NZNana
@NZNana16
Husband’s joke of the day:
I asked my friend to spell wonton backwards, he said not now.
12:46 AM · Aug 10, 2021·Twitter Web App
Twitter
Robert Wilkinson
@robertwlk
I asked my friend if he could spell wonton backwards.
He said ‘not now’.
1:51 AM · Jan 30, 2022·Twitter for Android