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Pieris rapae was first described by Linnaeus in 1758 as Papilio rapae, but subsequently placed in the genus Pieris by Schrank. Pieris rapae is the preferred and most often used name.

The head and body of the first-instar larva are pale yellow with fine transparent hairs arising from small white spots. The mature larva is about 3 cm long, its head and body are velvety green with short hairs. There is a faint yellow mid-dorsal line and numerous black, and occasional white, minute raised spots from which arise short translucent hairs. Segments have one or two yellow lateral spots. The larva has five pairs of prolegs.

Pieris rapae is a white, diurnally active butterfly with a wingspan of 4-6 cm. The wings are white with a black area near the tip of each forewing and a small black spot on the front edge of the wing. The female has two black spots on each forewing, while the male has only one. In the male, the apex and costa of the forewings are grey-black with a black spot at the lower angle of the cell and sometimes another obscure blotch below it. The hindwing has a black spot on the costa near the apex. The forewing below is white with the apex yellowish, and a pair of black blotches corresponding to the blotches on the upper surface. The hindwing is dull yellow, dusted with black. The female is slightly larger than the male, usually creamy white above and always with two black spots on the forewing.

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