coca

coca — 名詞

1. a small evergreen shrub native to the mountain regions of western South America,

1.名詞C1
釋義

古柯（植物）

南美洲常綠灌木，葉子可提煉古柯鹼

a small evergreen shrub native to the mountain regions of western South America, whose leaves are the natural source of the stimulant drug cocaine.

例句

Felipe pointed to a row of coca growing on the steep terraces above the village.

Felipe 指著村子上方陡坡梯田上一整排古柯樹。

noun + verb: 'coca growing' (uncountable)

Wild coca thrives in the warm, humid valleys on the eastern side of the Andes.

野生古柯在安地斯山脈東側溫暖潮濕的山谷裡長得很茂盛。

subject + thrives in + place: typical habitat description

同義詞
  • 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

❌The police seized two kilos of coca from the truck.
✅The police seized two kilos of cocaine from the truck.
💡'coca' is the bush; the processed drug is 'cocaine'.
❌I drank a cold coca with lunch.
✅I drank a cold Coke with lunch.
💡the soft drink is 'Coca-Cola' or 'Coke', not 'coca'.

2. leaves harvested and dried from the coca shrub, traditionally chewed by people i

2.名詞C1
釋義

古柯葉

古柯樹乾燥後的葉子，可咀嚼或泡茶

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.

例句

Lan was offered a small bag of coca to chew during her hike up the mountain.

Lan 在登山途中拿到一小包古柯葉，可以邊走邊嚼。

chew coca: traditional use

Hotels in Cusco serve hot tea made from coca to help guests cope with the thin air.

庫斯科的旅館會用古柯葉泡熱茶，幫客人適應稀薄的空氣。

tea made from coca: preparation method

同義詞
  • 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.

常見錯誤

❌She drank three cocas at breakfast.
✅She drank three cups of coca tea at breakfast.
💡uncountable in the leaves sense; you need 'cup of' or similar.