also: ホワジャオ · ホアジャオ
noun
Sichuan pepper; Chinese prickly-ash
Refers to both the spice (dried husks of Zanthoxylum bungeanum) and the plant itself. Used in Chinese and Japanese cuisine for its numbing, citrusy flavor.
花椒を加えると、料理にピリッとしたしびれが出る。
Adding Sichuan pepper gives the dish a tingling, numbing sensation.
この店の麻婆豆腐は花椒が効いている。
The mapo tofu at this restaurant has a strong Sichuan pepper kick.
Japanese pepper (Zanthoxylum piperitum), which is related but has a different flavor profile; 花椒 is specifically the Chinese variety.
From Chinese 花椒 (huājiāo). The Japanese reading かしょう is the on'yomi of the kanji, while ホワジャオ/ホアジャオ are direct borrowings of the Chinese pronunciation.