bok choy

American  

[bok choi] / ˈbɒk ˈtʃɔɪ /

Or bok-choy

noun

• bok choys
  plural

1. a type of Chinese cabbage, Brassica rapa chinensis, with long, broad, dark green leaves and pale stalks that form a cluster rather than a head, grown throughout East Asia and cultivated elsewhere, especially northern Europe, as the plant can withstand a cold climate.

2. the leaves and stalks of this plant eaten as a raw or cooked vegetable, especially in East Asian cuisine.

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bok choy British  

/ ˈbɒk ˈtʃɔɪ /

noun

1. Also called: Chinese cabbage, Chinese leaf, pak-choi cabbage. a Chinese plant, Brassica chinensis, that is related to the cabbage and has edible stalks and leaves

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• bok choys
  plural

Etymology

Origin of bok choy

First recorded in 1845–50; from Chinese dialect (Guangdong) baahk-chòi, literally, “white vegetable,” akin to Chinese báicài

Compare meaning

How does bok-choy compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• napa cabbage vs. bok choy

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bok choy

The lavish welcome, a personal greeting at the airport and a state banquet featuring sesame crusted sea bass and braised baby bok choy have been welcomed by those watching from China.

From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026

The second course featured sesame-crusted sea bass with baby bok choy and roasted garden eggplant.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

For their main course they dined on a sesame-crusted sea bass, braised bok choy and roasted eggplant.

From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026

A warm bowl of my mother’s homemade soup, complete with a pack of instant noodles bathed in a gingery collagen-rich bone broth and topped with fresh corn, bok choy and a soft-boiled egg, was medicine.

From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026

Friday morning Joe walked to the farmer's market and bought onions, bok choy, lettuce, and carrots.

From Joe Burke's Last Stand by John Moncure Wetterau