Peanuts, also known as peanuts or arborvitae, are classified as peanuts in classification, which are mainly used for edible seeds. It is widely planted in the tropics and subtropics and is essential for small and large commercial producers. It is not only classified as cereals and legumes, but also as oil crops because of its high oil content. [4] In 2014, the annual output of peanut with shell in the world was 42 million tons. Typically, in crops, peanut pods grow underground rather than on the ground. Linnaeus, a botanist, uses this feature to assign the specific name "hypogaea", which means "underground".

As a kind of legume, peanut belongs to legume. This is also known as the legume, usually called the legume or pea family. Like most other legumes, peanut has symbiotic nitrogen fixing bacteria in its root nodules. This ability to fix nitrogen means that peanuts need less nitrogen fertilizer and improve soil fertility, making them valuable in rotation.

The taste and nutrients of peanuts are similar to those of nuts such as walnuts and almonds. In western cuisine, peanuts are usually eaten in a similar way. The botanical definition of "nut" is that the ovary wall of fruit becomes very hard when it matures. By this standard, peanuts are not real nuts, but beans. However, for cooking purposes and common English usage, peanuts are often referred to as nuts.