taro
/ˈtaɾo/masculine
The Spanish word for taro is taro. Wiktionary also lists ocumo chino and papa china.
Meaning: Colocasia esculenta (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| taro | /ˈtaɾo/ | masculine |
| ocumo chino | /okumo t͡ʃino/ (from spelling rules) | Venezuela, masculine |
| papa china | /papa t͡ʃina/ (from spelling rules) | Colombia, Ecuador, feminine |
| yautía coco | /ʝautia koko/ (from spelling rules) | Dominican Republic, feminine |
| bore | /boɾe/ (from spelling rules) | Colombia, masculine |
| mairina | /maiɾina/ (from spelling rules) | Peru, feminine |
| michucsi | /mit͡ʃuɡsi/ (from spelling rules) | Peru, feminine |
taro refers to the edible plant Colocasia esculenta. Common culinary terms include Helado de taro for taro ice cream, Budín de taro for taro pudding and Chips de malanga for taro chips.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Spanish speakers use different names for taro depending on their location: ocumo chino is used in Venezuela, papa china and bore are used in Colombia, papa china is used in Ecuador, yautía coco is used in the Dominican Republic, mairina and michucsi are used in Peru and yautía is a variation used in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
How does it change in a sentence?
taro is a masculine noun. In contrast, papa china, yautía coco, mairina and michucsi are feminine nouns, while ocumo chino and bore are masculine.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtaɾo/
Did you know?
- In Peru, the term michucsi is used, which is a word with indigenous roots rather than Spanish or Latin ones.
- The word chino in papa china can come from several different sources, including the word for 'servant girl' in Kichwa and Quechua.
- Spanish speakers in the Caribbean and South America use at least seven different names for the same plant, meaning a person from Puerto Rico and one from Colombia might not realize they are talking about the same vegetable.
Examples in context
- El helado sabe a taro.The ice cream tastes of taro.This sentence is useful for describing the flavor of food using taro.Tatoeba #6989170 by cueyayotl, translation #13038439 by araneo
- Por favor, llámame Taro.Please call me Taro.This sentence shows how taro can also be used as a proper name.Tatoeba #769709 by Shishir, translation #275173 by CN
- Taro murió hace dos años.Taro died two years ago.This sentence shows how taro can be used as a proper name for a person.Tatoeba #2081073 by Shishir, translation #275177 by CN
- El restaurante ofrece una exquisita sopa de taro.The restaurant offers a delicious taro soup.
- La planta Colocasia esculenta es originaria de Asia y se cultiva por sus raíces comestibles.The Colocasia esculenta plant is native to Asia and is cultivated for its edible roots.
- Me encanta el pastel de malanga que prepara mi abuela.I love the malanga cake my grandmother makes.
- Las yautías fritas son un delicioso plato típico dominicano.Fried yautías are a delicious Dominican typical dish.
- 33 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are in a kitchen preparing a meal.
- Javier¿Tienes el taro para la cena?Do you have the taro for dinner?
- SofíaSí, lo puse sobre la mesa.Yes, I put it on the table.
- JavierGracias, Sofía, se ve muy fresco.Thanks, Sofía, it looks very fresh.
- SofíaEspero que te guste el sabor.I hope you like the flavor.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “taro” translations and entries taro, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chino, ocumo, papa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
