napa cabbage

American  

[nap-uh kab-ij, nah-puh] / ˈnæp ə ˈkæb ɪdʒ, ˈnɑ pə /

Or nappa cabbage

noun

1. a type of Chinese cabbage, Brassica rapa pekinensis, with broad, ruffled, light green leaves that form a cylindrical, compact head, originating in the vicinity of Beijing and now widely cultivated in Europe, North America, and Australia.

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

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Etymology

Origin of napa cabbage

First recorded in 1935–40; from Japanese dialect nappa “greens, salad greens,” equivalent to na “green” + -pa, combining form of ha “leaf”

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Compare meaning

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

• napa cabbage vs. bok choy

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

napa cabbage

There’s also mille-feuille nabe, a Japanese hot pot dish that’s layered with napa cabbage and thin slices of pork belly simmered in dashi broth.

From Salon ● Feb. 21, 2026

Ground pork, water chestnuts, cilantro, sesame oil and napa cabbage.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 3, 2022

The options for the sides are spicy pig ear, shredded potato, braised tofu, bean curd, braised egg, seaweed, braised napa cabbage, spiced peanuts, pickled mustard greens and pickled cucumbers.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 27, 2021

Ssam, in Korean, means “wrap,” usually involving salted napa cabbage, especially the tender inner leaves; feathery perilla; or fresh, crisp red leaf lettuce.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 28, 2020

These days, she transforms 1,400 pounds of napa cabbage into kimchi each month, and for the first time, it’s available to purchase.

From New York Times ● Jun. 10, 2020

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