The term Chinese Soup Ingredient can be summarized by two crossword solutions: NEST (4 letters) and Birdsnest (9 letters). NEST is a structure made of twigs, leaves, and other materials that is used by birds to lay eggs and raise their young. Birdsnest is a type of soup made from the NEST of swiftlets, a type of bird found in Southeast Asia. The nests are made from the bird's saliva and are used as an ingredient in Chinese soups.