A soup spoon is a type of spoon with a large or rounded bowl, used for eating soup. The term either can either refer to the Western soup spoon or the Chinese spoon.
The Chinese soup spoon, usually ceramic and of a distinct Chinese soup spoon shape, which can vary in size from normal soup spoon size to near-platter size.
The Western soup spoon, is the shape and size of a dessert spoon (ie smaller than a tablespoon), but with a deeper, more circular bowl for holding liquid. Modern soup spoons are typically of stainless steel or silver, but in the past wooden and horn spoons were more common. The idea of including a separate soup spoon in a table setting originated in the 18th century, when bowl shapes varied widely, deep or shallow, oval, pointed, egg-shaped or circular. Spoon shapes became more standardized in 19th century silverware.