china root

noun

An East Asian plant of species Smilax glabra and the drugs made from the root, used in traditional Chinese medicine and formerly as a treatment for syphilis.

Meanings

china root1

nounchina root (countable and uncountable, plural china roots)

plural china roots

  1. countableuncountableAlternative letter-case form of China root.

China root2

nounChina root (countable and uncountable, plural China roots)

plural China roots · alternative china · alternative china root · alternative china-root · alternative chinaroot

  1. countableuncountableAn East Asian plant of species Smilax glabra and the drugs made from the root, used in traditional Chinese medicine and formerly as a treatment for syphilis.
    1 more example

    In his first report on the condition of the island he informed the King that "sugar, ginger, indigo, cotton, tobacco, dyeing woods and cocoa may be had and are produced as well as anywhere ; but pimento, chinaroots, aloes, rhubarb, sarsaparilla, tamarinds, cassia, vaignillios, hides and tallow are the proper commodities.

    1893, The Handbook of Jamaica, page 44
  2. countableuncountableAn East Asian liana of species Smilax china.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see

Translations

Japanese 山帰来
  • 山帰来 (sankirai)Smilax glabra
Cite this entry
APA

china root. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/china%20root

MLA

“china root.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/china%20root. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “china root,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/china%20root.

Source: china root on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.