Chinese broccolin. A plant (Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra) in the mustard family grown for its dark green leaves and stalks, used as a vegetable in eastern Asian cuisine. Also called Chinese kale.American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.