taro; cocoyam; dasheen
Refers to the starchy root vegetable Colocasia esculenta, commonly used in tropical cuisines. The term is a loanword from English, and the katakana spelling is standard.
In Hawaii, they make poi from taro.
Taro is widely cultivated in tropical regions.
Kanji spelling exists but is rarely used; the word is typically written in kana.
Loanword from English 'taro', which itself comes from a Polynesian language. The Japanese term is used primarily for non-native varieties.