coca
coca — noun
1. a small evergreen shrub native to the mountain regions of western South America,
a small evergreen shrub native to the mountain regions of western South America, whose leaves are the natural source of the stimulant drug cocaine.
Felipe pointed to a row of coca growing on the steep terraces above the village.
noun + verb: 'coca growing' (uncountable)
Wild coca thrives in the warm, humid valleys on the eastern side of the Andes.
subject + thrives in + place: typical habitat description
Ayesha studied how farmers in Peru raise coca alongside coffee and bananas.
The agency burned several hectares of coca during last week's anti-drug operation.
- coca plant
fuller form, often used to remove ambiguity with the drug
- Erythroxylum
scientific genus name, used in botany texts
用法筆記
Refers to the plant itself, not to the drug derived from it. For the drug, use 'cocaine'. Often used as a modifier: 'coca leaf', 'coca farmer', 'coca field'.
常見錯誤
2. leaves harvested and dried from the coca shrub, traditionally chewed by people i
leaves harvested and dried from the coca shrub, traditionally chewed by people in the Andes or brewed as tea to reduce hunger, tiredness, and altitude sickness.
Lan was offered a small bag of coca to chew during her hike up the mountain.
chew coca: traditional use
Hotels in Cusco serve hot tea made from coca to help guests cope with the thin air.
tea made from coca: preparation method
Older miners in Bolivia still carry a pouch of coca with them down the shafts.
Christopher noticed the bitter, grassy taste the moment he started chewing the coca.
- coca leaves
more explicit and far more common in everyday English
- coca leaf
singular form, used when referring to one leaf at a time
用法筆記
Typically uncountable when referring to the chewed or brewed leaves: 'a bag of coca', 'cup of coca tea'. Distinguish from sense 1 by context: a growing plant vs the harvested, dried leaves used for chewing or brewing.