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

A splash of chicken stock is used to make the baby bok choy, courtesy of this stellar recipe from NYT Cooking.

From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026

I like sprucing up my ramen with fresh bok choy, baby corn, spinach and pickled red onions.

From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026

“He had this amazing ability to come home, look in the refrigerator and cook a bok choy dish, a pork dish, and rice and tofu dishes in under an hour,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 10, 2025

There was always a steady supply of bitter melon, eggplant, gai lan and bok choy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2025

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