Bok Choy
/ˌbɑːk ˈtʃɔɪ/noun
A type of Chinese cabbage with white stems and dark green leaves.
Did you know?“Bok choy” is an English rendering of Cantonese 白菜, baak coi, while “pak choi” reflects another common romanization of the same Chinese name.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Chinese
Chinese
白菜
“Literally “white vegetable”; a name for Chinese cabbage and related leafy vegetables.”
Middle Chinese
Middle Chinese
白采 / 白菜
“Forms reconstructed or attested in the historical development of the Chinese compound meaning “white vegetable.””
19th Century
Cantonese
baak coi
“Cantonese pronunciation of 白菜, literally “white vegetable.””
Late 19th Century
English
bok choy
“An English spelling based chiefly on Cantonese pronunciation, used for the vegetable.”
Modern English
English
bok choy
“A widely used English name for a white-stemmed Chinese cabbage.”