dong quai


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Related to dong quai: black cohosh, Chasteberry
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dong quai

 (do͝ong kwā, kwī)
n.
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).]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.