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Choy sum

2 stages from Cantonese to English.

Today it means a Chinese leafy green vegetable, prized for its tender stems and yellow flowers

Where does the word "choy sum" come from? It comes from Cantonese coi sam, adopted directly into English (late 1900s).

1
Stage 1 of 2
coi sam
Cantonese · ancient
"a leafy green vegetable with edible flowering stalks"
literally 'vegetable heart', naming a leafy green with tender flowering stems
2
Stage 2 of 2
choy sum
English · late 1900s
"a Chinese leafy green vegetable with tender flowering stems"
borrowed into English through Cantonese-speaking grocers and restaurants
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