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burdock root
An edible root vegetable widely used in Japanese cooking. Long, thin, and brownish in color with an earthy flavor and crunchy texture. Rich in dietary fiber.
Usage
Often written in hiragana as ごぼう, since the kanji 牛蒡 are rarely used in everyday writing. A staple vegetable in Japanese cuisine, used in dishes like きんぴらごぼう (stir-fried burdock), 筑前煮 (simmered chicken and vegetables), and 豚汁 (pork miso soup).
Cultural note
Burdock root is consumed almost exclusively in Japan and a few other East Asian countries. Visitors from Western countries are often unfamiliar with it. The expression ごぼう抜き (pulling out like a burdock root) means overtaking several people at once in a race.