cas·sa·va /kəˈsɑvə/
 木薯


 Cas·sa·va n.
 1. Bot. A shrubby euphorbiaceous plant of the genus Manihot, with fleshy rootstocks yielding an edible starch; -- called also manioc.
 Note: ☞ There are two species, bitter and sweet, from which the cassava of commerce is prepared in the West Indies, tropical America, and Africa. The bitter (Manihot utilissima) is the more important; this has a poisonous sap, but by grating, pressing, and baking the root the poisonous qualities are removed. The sweet (Manihot Aipi) is used as a table vegetable.
 2. A nutritious starch obtained from the rootstocks of the cassava plant, used as food and in making tapioca.

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 cassava
      n 1: a starch made by leaching and drying the root of the cassava
           plant; the source of tapioca; a staple food in the
           tropics [syn: cassava starch, manioc, manioca]
      2: cassava root eaten as a staple food after drying and
         leaching; source of tapioca [syn: manioc]
      3: any of several plants of the genus Manihot having fleshy
         roots yielding a nutritious starch [syn: casava]