dong quai

American  

[doong chwahy] / ˈdʊŋ ˈtʃwaɪ /

noun

1. an aromatic herb, Angelica sinensis, of the parsley family, native to China and Japan, used to treat menopausal symptoms, premenstrual syndrome, and menstrual irregularity.

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Etymology

Origin of dong quai

First recorded in 1975–80; from a southern Chinese dialect, equivalent to Mandarin dāng guī “ought to return” (from the folk belief that the herb makes the blood return where it ought to)

Example Sentences

These included glucosamine, chondroitin, grapeseed, black cohosh, soy, dong quai, St. John’s wort, coenzyme Q10, garlic pills, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, melatonin, acidophilus and methylsulfonylmethane.

From US News • Jul. 9, 2010

Some women also take vitamin E for hot flashes, while others are turning to remedies based on such exotics as black cohosh, flaxseed, red clover, dong quai and wild yam.

From Time Magazine Archive