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dong quai

(dng kwā, kwī)

A perennial aromatic herb (Angelica sinensis) in the parsley family, native to China and Japan, yielding a root that is used medicinally for gynecological disorders such as premenstrual syndrome, menstrual cramps, and menopausal symptoms.

[Mandarin dāng guī, from Middle Chinese taŋ kyj : taŋ, should, ought + kyj, return (from the belief that the plant causes blood to return where it should).]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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