Daikon
/ˈdaɪ.kɒn/noun
A large white Japanese radish with a crisp texture and mild, slightly peppery flavor.
Did you know?Daikon is written 大根 in Japanese: 大 means “great” or “large,” while 根 means “root,” making its name an unusually literal botanical description.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Chinese
Chinese
大根
““Great root” or “large root”; the characters supplied the written form later used in Japan.”
Early Japanese
Japanese
daikon
“A large radish; the Japanese reading of 大根 became the ordinary name for the vegetable.”
Medieval Japan
Japanese
大根
“A cultivated radish widely used as food and in pickling, with regional varieties developing over time.”
19th Century
English
daikon
“An English borrowing for the Japanese white radish, especially in writing about Japanese cuisine and agriculture.”
Modern English
English
daikon
“A large white radish commonly used raw, cooked, or pickled in East Asian and fusion cuisines.”