sau2 wu1首烏首乌
Jyutpingsau2 wu1
Yalesáu wū
Definition
Chinese knotweed, a plant used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat gray hair and other ailments.
neutralhealthfood
How it's used
Refers specifically to the root of the plant used in traditional Chinese medicine, often associated with darkening hair or general vitality. It is frequently encountered in the names of herbal tea products or hair care items rather than as a raw ingredient in home cooking. You will most commonly see it as an additive in health tonics or specialized shampoos.
Examples
He drinks Chinese Knotweed tea regularly to nourish his body.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with generic black-colored herbs, as it has specific medicinal properties and is often prepared in a processed form known as 制首烏 to reduce toxicity. It is not a culinary vegetable and should not be used in large quantities without professional guidance.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).



