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Glite Dictionary
Brassica rapa pekinensis

Brassica rapa pekinensis

7.3
A leafy vegetable like a cabbage used in East Asian cooking
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : repollo chino
  • Stir-fried Brassica rapa pekinensis is a typical side dish in many Chinese households.

Examples

  • Farmers harvest Brassica rapa pekinensis in the early autumn for export.

  • I bought some Brassica rapa pekinensis at the market.

  • Brassica rapa pekinensis is often pickled to make kimchi in Korean cuisine.

  • Have you ever tried Brassica rapa pekinensis in a stir-fry?

  • Brassica rapa pekinensis is commonly used in a variety of dishes in East Asian cuisine, particularly in stir-fries.

  • You can find Brassica rapa pekinensis in many supermarkets, especially in the produce section dedicated to Asian vegetables.

  • Brassica rapa pekinensis has a crisp texture and a slightly sweet flavor that makes it popular in salads.

Synonyms

napa
vsBrassica rapa pekinensis
29 7.5

A long, pale green Chinese cabbage used in cooking

is the specific cultivated variety with broad stalked leaves used in cuisine
pe-tsai
vsBrassica rapa pekinensis
8.8

A leafy vegetable like cabbage with long white stems used in Asian cooking

is the cultivated variety described by its botanical traits
nappa
vsBrassica rapa pekinensis
  • UK
6.6

A pale cabbage with tightly packed leaves used in East Asian cooking

focuses on broad stalks rather than tightly packed leaves
celery cabbage
vsBrassica rapa pekinensis
3.7

A vegetable with a long head and crisp stalks like celery used in East Asian cooking

has broader non crisp stalks suited to cultivated vegetable use

Surface Forms

Brassica rapa pekinensis singular
Brassica rapa pekinenses plural

Morphology

Brassica + rapa + pekinensis

This is a Latin botanical name whose first element 'Brassica' clearly signals the cabbage/cole crop family, and the epithet 'pekinensis' plausibly indicates origin (Peking/Beijing), so the compound denotes a particular kind of cabbage. However, the species/varietal elements ('rapa', 'pekinensis') are specialized Latin terms not part of everyday English, so an average B1 learner (even if they recognised 'Brassica') would only partially infer the precise meaning without prior exposure to taxonomic naming. Because the overall sense (a type of cabbage) is derivable but the exact varietal nuance requires specialist knowledge, the item is best classified as semi-transparent.

Etymology

The plant name Brassica rapa pekinensis tells a simple story: Brassica rapa shows it is in the cabbage/turnip group and pekinensis means 'from Peking', the old name for Beijing. Because this long-headed Chinese cabbage was brought to Europe from northern China, the name stuck and now refers to the vegetable many people call 'napa' or 'Peking cabbage'.