# 菜

| 菜 | U+83DC, &#33756; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-83DC |
| ← 菛 [U+83DB] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 菝 → [U+83DD] |
| 菜 | U+2F9A3, &#194979; CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-2F9A3 |
| ← 菌 [U+2F9A2] | CJK Compatibility Ideographs Supplement | 𦰶 → [U+2F9A4] |

## Translingual
### Han character

菜 (Kangxi radical 140, 艸+8, 12 strokes in traditional Chinese and Korean, 11 strokes in simplified Chinese and Japanese, cangjie input 廿月木 (TBD), four-corner 4490$_4$, composition ⿱艹采)

#### Derived characters

* 𢵛, 𰲎, 𮓇

#### References

* Kangxi Dictionary: page 1038, character 13
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 31184
* Dae Jaweon: page 1496, character 16
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 5, page 3236, character 10
* Unihan data for U+83DC
* Unihan data for U+2F9A3

## Chinese

* 菜 (Written Standard Chinese)
* 菜 (Cantonese)
* 菜 (Gan)
* chhoi (Hakka)

### Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 菜 :
| Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) | Liushutong (compiled in Ming) |
| Small seal script | Transcribed ancient scripts |
| | Old Chinese |
| 采 | *sʰɯːʔ |
| 睬 | *sʰɯːʔ |
| 彩 | *sʰɯːʔ |
| 採 | *sʰɯːʔ |
| 綵 | *sʰɯːʔ |
| 寀 | *sʰɯːʔ |
| 菜 | *sʰɯːs |
| 埰 | *sʰɯːs |
| 棌 | *sʰɯːs |
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *sʰɯːs): semantic 艹 (“grass; plant”) + phonetic 采 (OC *sʰɯːʔ).

### Etymology

From 采 (OC *sʰɯːʔ, “to gather; to pluck”) + nominalizing *-s, literally “what is gathered or plucked” (Sagart, 1999; Schuessler, 2007). See 采 for more.

### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Standard)
       (Pinyin): cài (cai$^4$)
       (Zhuyin): ㄘㄞˋ
    (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): cai$^4$
    (Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): cāi
    (Nanjing, Nanjing Pinyin): cāi
    (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): цэ (ce, III)
* Cantonese
    (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): coi$^3$
    (Dongguan, Jyutping++): cui$^3$
    (Taishan, Wiktionary): toi$^1$
    (Yangjiang, Jyutping++): coi$^3$
* Gan (Wiktionary): cai$^3$
* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): chhoi
    (Hailu, HRS): coi$^ˇ$
    (Meixian, Guangdong): coi$^4$
    (Changting, Changting Pinyin): cue$^4$
* Jin (Wiktionary): cai$^3$
* Northern Min (KCR): cha̤̿
* Eastern Min (BUC): chái
* Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): cai$^4$
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): chhài / sài
    (Teochew, Peng'im): cai$^3$
    (Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): cai$^3$
* Southern Pinghua (Nanning, Jyutping++): caai$^3$
* Wu (Wugniu)
** (Northern): $^5$tshe / $^5$tshae / $^5$tshai
** (Jinhua): $^5$tshae
* Xiang
    (Changsha, Wiktionary): cai$^4$
    (Loudi, Wiktionary): ce$^4$
    (Hengyang, Wiktionary): cai$^4$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: cài
*** Zhuyin: ㄘㄞˋ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: cài
*** Wade–Giles: tsʻai$^4$
*** Yale: tsài
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tsay
*** Palladius: цай (caj)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰaɪ̯⁵¹/
** (Chengdu)
*** Sichuanese Pinyin: cai$^4$
*** Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: cai
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰai²¹³/
** (Xi'an)
*** Guanzhong Pinyin: cāi
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰæ⁵⁵/
** (Nanjing)
*** Nanjing Pinyin: cāi
*** Nanjing Pinyin (numbered): cai$^4$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰɛ⁴⁴/
** (Dungan)
*** Cyrillic and Wiktionary: цэ (ce, III)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰɛ⁴⁴/
    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: coi$^3$
*** Yale: choi
*** Cantonese Pinyin: tsoi$^3$
*** Guangdong Romanization: coi$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰɔːi̯³³/
** (Dongguan, Guancheng)
*** Jyutping++: cui$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰui³²/
** (Taishanese, Taicheng)
*** Wiktionary: toi$^1$
*** Sinological IPA : /tʰᵘɔi³³/
** (Yangjiang Yue, Jiangcheng)
*** Jyutping++: coi$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡ʃʰɔi²⁴/
* Gan
** (Nanchang)
*** Wiktionary: cai$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰai²¹³/
* Hakka
** (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: chhoi
*** Hakka Romanization System: coi
*** Hagfa Pinyim: coi$^4$
*** Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰoi̯⁵⁵/
** (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
*** Hakka Romanization System: coi$^ˇ$
*** Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰoi¹¹/
** (Meixian)
*** Guangdong: coi$^4$
*** Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰoɪ⁵³/
** (Changting)
*** Changting Pinyin: cue$^4$
*** Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰue⁵⁴/
* Jin
** (Taiyuan)
*** Wiktionary: cai$^3$
*** Sinological IPA (old-style): /t͡sʰai⁴⁵/
* Northern Min
** (Jian'ou)
*** Kienning Colloquial Romanized: cha̤̿
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰɛ³³/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: chái
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰɑi²¹³/
* Puxian Min
** (Putian, Xianyou)
*** Pouseng Ping'ing: cai$^4$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰai⁴²/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, General Taiwanese, Philippines)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhài
*** Tâi-lô: tshài
*** Phofsit Daibuun: zhaix
*** IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Kaohsiung): /t͡sʰai²¹/
*** IPA (Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Philippines): /t͡sʰai⁴¹/
*** IPA (Taipei): /t͡sʰai¹¹/
** (Hokkien: Zhangpu)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sài
*** Tâi-lô: sài
*** Phofsit Daibuun: saix
*** IPA (Zhangpu): /sai¹¹/
** (Teochew)
*** Peng'im: cai$^3$
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: tshài
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰai²¹³/
** (Leizhou)
*** Leizhou Pinyin: cai$^3$
*** Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰai²¹/
* Southern Pinghua
** (Nanning Pinghua, Tingzi)
*** Jyutping++: caai$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰai⁵⁵/
* Wu
** (Northern: Shanghai, Songjiang, Suzhou, Deqing, Hangzhou, Shaoxing, Ningbo, Zhoushan)
*** Wugniu: $^5$tshe
*** MiniDict: tshe$^去$
*** Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): $^2$tshe
*** Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /t͡sʰe³⁴/
*** Sinological IPA (Songjiang): /t͡sʰe³⁵/
*** Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /t͡sʰe⁵²³/
*** Sinological IPA (Deqing): /t͡sʰɛ⁴³⁵/
*** Sinological IPA (Hangzhou): /t͡sʰɛ⁴⁵/
*** Sinological IPA (Shaoxing): /t͡sʰe³³/
*** Sinological IPA (Ningbo): /t͡sʰe⁵⁵/
*** Sinological IPA (Zhoushan): /t͡sʰe⁴⁴/
** (Northern: Jiading, Kunshan, Jiaxing)
*** Wugniu: $^5$tshae
*** MiniDict: tshae$^去$
*** Sinological IPA (Jiading): /t͡sʰe³⁴/
*** Sinological IPA (Kunshan): /t͡sʰɛ⁴¹²/
*** Sinological IPA (Jiaxing): /t͡sʰɛ³³⁴/
** (Northern: Chongming, Changzhou)
*** Wugniu: $^5$tshai
*** MiniDict: tshai$^去$
*** Sinological IPA (Chongming): /t͡sʰɛ³³/
*** Sinological IPA (Changzhou): /t͡sʰai⁵²³/
** (Jinhua)
*** Wugniu: $^5$tshae
*** Sinological IPA (Jinhua): /t͡sʰɛ⁵⁵/
* Xiang
** (Changsha)
*** Wiktionary: cai$^4$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰai̯⁴⁵/
** (Loudi)
*** Wiktionary: ce$^4$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰe̞³⁵/
** (Hengyang)
*** Wiktionary: cai$^4$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰai̯³²⁴/
* Middle Chinese: tshojH
Rime :
| Character | 菜 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Initial (聲) | 清 (14) |
| Final (韻) | 咍 (41) |
| Tone (調) | Departing (H) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | I |
| Fanqie | 倉代切 |
| Baxter | tshojH |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /t͡sʰʌi$^H$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /t͡sʰəi$^H$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /t͡sʰɒi$^H$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /t͡sʰəj$^H$/ |
| Li Rong | /t͡sʰᴀi$^H$/ |
| Wang Li | /t͡sʰɒi$^H$/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /t͡sʰɑ̆i$^H$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | cài |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | coi$^3$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*s.r̥ˤəʔ-s/
    (Zhengzhang): /*sʰɯːs/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 菜 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | cài |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ tshoj$^H$ › |
| Old Chinese | /*s.r̥ˁəʔ-s/ |
| English | vegetables |
| Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary. ||
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 菜 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| No. | 1076 |
| Phonetic component | 采 |
| Rime group | 之 |
| Rime subdivision | 0 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 菜 |
| Old Chinese | /*sʰɯːs/ |

### Definitions

菜
* vegetable; greens (Classifier: 棵 m; 根 m; 條／条 c; 樖 c)
    蔬菜 ― shūcài ― vegetables
    白菜 ― báicài ― Chinese cabbage
    菠菜 ― bōcài ― spinach
** (specifically, in compounds) rape; rapeseed (plant used for vegetable oil)
    菜籽 ― càizǐ ― rapeseed
    菜油 ― càiyóu ― rapeseed oil
* dish; course (Classifier: 盤／盘 m; 道 m; 味 m)
       Zhè dào cài hěn duìwèikǒu. [Pinyin]
       This dish is tasty.
       Měi cì tā lái zhèr, tā dōu diǎn tóngyàng de cài. [Pinyin]
       Whenever he comes to this place, he orders the same dish.
       Wǒ zài kǎolǜ wǒ wǎnfàn zuò shénme cài. [Pinyin]
       I'm wondering what to cook for dinner.
* cuisine; (type of) food
    川菜 ― chuāncài ― Sichuan cuisine
    日本菜 ― Rìběn cài ― Japanese food
* grocery
    買菜／买菜 ― mǎicài ― to buy groceries
    菜市場／菜市场 ― càishìchǎng ― farmers' market
* (colloquial) (one's) type; cup of tea(Classifier: 條／条 c)
    他是我的菜！ ― Tā shì wǒ de cài! ― He is my type!
* (colloquial) bad; inferior; disappointing; below average
    菜鳥／菜鸟 ― càiniǎo ― noob
    我好菜啊。 ― Wǒ hǎo cài a. ― I'm so inferior [to others].
    菜英文 ― cài yīngwén ― poor English (pun on the name of Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen)
* (Hong Kong Cantonese, slang, derogatory) girlfriend (Classifier: 條／条 c; 樖 c)
* a surname, Cai or Tsai

#### Synonyms

* (vegetable):
| Variety | Location | Words |
| Classical Chinese | Classical Chinese | 菜, 蔬, 蔬菜, 菜蔬 |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 蔬菜, 青菜, 菜蔬 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 青菜 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 青菜, 菜, 蔬菜 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Jinan | 青菜 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 青菜, 菜 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 小菜 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 小菜, 青菜 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 蔬菜 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Hefei | 青菜, 蔬菜 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 菜 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 菜 |
| Cantonese | Yangjiang | 菜 |
| Cantonese | Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) | 菜 |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 菜 |
| Gan | Nanchang | 青菜 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 青菜 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 青菜 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 青菜 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 青菜 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 青菜 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 青菜 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 青菜 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 菜蔬, 菜 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 青菜 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 菜, 青菜 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 草菜, 菜蔬, 菜 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 草菜, 菜蔬, 菜 |
| Southern Min | Jinjiang | 菜蔬 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 草菜, 菜蔬, 菜 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 菜 |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 青菜, 菜 |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 青菜 |
| Southern Min | Jieyang | 青菜, 菜, 羹菜 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 菜 |
| Southern Min | Pontianak (Teochew) | 青菜 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hainanese) | 菜 |
| Puxian Min | Putian | 青菜, 菜物 |
| Puxian Min | Putian (Donghai, Chengxiang) | 菜, 青菜 |
| Puxian Min | Putian (Jiangkou, Hanjiang) | 青菜 |
| Puxian Min | Putian (Nanri, Xiuyu) | 青菜, 菜物 |
| Puxian Min | Xianyou | 青菜 |
| Puxian Min | Xianyou (Fengting) | 青菜 |
| Puxian Min | Xianyou (Youyang) | 青菜 |
| Zhongshan Min | Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi) | 瓜菜, 蔬菜 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 蔬菜 |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 菜, 水菜 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 小菜 |
| Xiang | Shuangfeng | 蔬菜, 小菜 |
| Xiang | Hengyang | 菜 |
* (rape): 油菜 (yóucài)
* (dish):
| Variety | Location | Words |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 菜餚, 菜品, 菜蔬 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 菜 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 菜 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 菜 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Tianjin | 菜 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Jinan | 菜 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 菜 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 菜 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 菜 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guiyang | 下飯菜 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guilin | 菜 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 菜 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Hefei | 菜 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 餸, 餸菜 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 餸, 餸菜 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Kam Tin; Weitou) | 餸菜 |
| Cantonese | Macau | 餸 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Panyu) | 餸 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu) | 餸 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Conghua) | 餸 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Zengcheng) | 餸 |
| Cantonese | Foshan | 餸 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai) | 餸 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shunde) | 餸 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Sanshui) | 餸 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming) | 餸 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Shiqi) | 餸 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou) | 餸 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka) | 餸 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Doumen) | 餸 |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Baisha) | 餸 |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Xinhui) | 餸 |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 餸, 餸菜 |
| Cantonese | Kaiping (Chikan) | 餸 |
| Cantonese | Enping (Niujiang) | 餸 |
| Cantonese | Heshan (Yayao) | 餸 |
| Cantonese | Dongguan | 餸 |
| Cantonese | Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an) | 餸 |
| Cantonese | Yangjiang | 餸 |
| Cantonese | Beihai | 餸 |
| Cantonese | Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô) | 菜 |
| Cantonese | Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà) | 菜 |
| Cantonese | Fangchenggang (Fangcheng) | 菜 |
| Cantonese | Sanya (Yanglan; Maihua) | 菜餸 |
| Cantonese | Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) | 餸 |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 餸 |
| Cantonese | Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu) | 餸 |
| Cantonese | Móng Cái | 菜 |
| Gan | Nanchang | 菜 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 菜 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 菜 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 菜 |
| Northern Min | Songxi | 菜 |
| Northern Min | Jianyang | 菜 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 配 |
| Eastern Min | Gutian | 配飯菜 |
| Eastern Min | Fuding | 乇配 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 物配, 菜配, 菜 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 物配, 菜 |
| Southern Min | Yongchun | 菜 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 物配 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 物配, 菜配 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 物配 |
| Southern Min | Longyan | 配 |
| Southern Min | Zhangping (Yongfu) | 配 |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 物配 |
| Southern Min | Jieyang | 物配 |
| Southern Min | Leizhou | 物配, 配 |
| Puxian Min | Putian | 物配 |
| Puxian Min | Putian (Donghai, Chengxiang) | 物配 |
| Puxian Min | Putian (Jiangkou, Hanjiang) | 物配 |
| Puxian Min | Putian (Nanri, Xiuyu) | 物配 |
| Puxian Min | Xianyou | 物配 |
| Puxian Min | Xianyou (Fengting) | 物配 |
| Puxian Min | Xianyou (Youyang) | 物配 |
| Central Min | Yong'an | 菜 |
| Central Min | Sanming (Shaxian) | 配 |
| Zhongshan Min | Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi) | 配 |
| Zhongshan Min | Zhongshan (Sanxiang) | 配 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 小菜 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 小菜 |
| Wu | Jiaxing | 鹹酸 |
| Wu | Shaoxing | 下飯 |
| Wu | Ningbo | 下飯, 菜蔬, 小菜 rare |
| Wu | Zhoushan | 下飯, 菜蔬, 小菜 rare |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 配, 餚配 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 菜 |
| Xiang | Shuangfeng | 菜 |
* (cuisine): 餐 (cān)
* (girlfriend):
| Variety | Location | Words |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 女朋友, 女友 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 女朋友 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 女朋友, 女友, 馬子 humorous or derogatory |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 女朋友 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xuzhou | 女朋友 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 女娃子, 女娃娃, 女娃兒, 盤子 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guilin | 𧊅 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Nanjing | 女朋友, 攀西 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 女朋友, 女 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 女朋友, 女友, 女, 女女, 菜 derogatory |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 女朋友, 女 |
| Cantonese | Dongguan | 皮油 |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 女朋友 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 女朋友 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 細妹朋友, 女朋友 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 細妹朋友, 女朋友 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 細妹朋友, 女朋友 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 細妹朋友, 女朋友 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 妹子朋友, 女朋友 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 女朋友 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 女朋友 |
| Southern Min | Shishi | 女朋友 |
| Southern Min | Taipei | 姼仔 GT |
| Southern Min | Penang (Hokkien) | 查某朋友 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 查某朋友 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 好的, 相好, 女朋友, 查某朋友 |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 女朋友 |
| Southern Min | Haifeng | 女朋友 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 查某朋友 |
| Southern Min | Leizhou | 女朋友 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hainanese) | 女朋友 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 女朋友 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 女朋友 |
| Wu | Hangzhou | 女朋友 |
| Wu | Ningbo | 女朋友 |
| Wu | Zhoushan | 女朋友 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 妹子 |
| Note | GT - General Taiwanese (no specific region identified) | GT - General Taiwanese (no specific region identified) |

### Compounds

* A菜 (ēi-cài, “Indian Lettuce”)
* 上菜 (shàngcài)
* 下酒菜 (xiàjiǔcài)
* 下飯菜兒 / 下饭菜儿
* 中國菜 / 中国菜 (Zhōngguócài)
* 主菜 (zhǔcài)
* 乾菜 / 干菜 (gāncài)
* 佈菜 / 布菜
* 便菜
* 做菜 (zuòcài)
* 八寶菜 / 八宝菜 (bābǎocài)
* 冬寒菜 (“Chinese Mallow”)
* 冬菜 (dōngcài, “preserved dried cabbage or mustard greens”) ( winter vegetable)
* 冷凍蔬菜 / 冷冻蔬菜
* 剩菜 (shèngcài)
* 加菜 (jiācài)
* 加菜金 (jiācàijīn)
* 包心菜 (bāoxīncài)
* 卷心菜 (juǎnxīncài)
* 叫菜
* 名菜 (míngcài)
* 合菜戴帽
* 和菜
* 咬菜根
* 嚼菜根
* 堂菜
* 大菜 (dàcài)
* 大菜間 / 大菜间
* 大鍋菜 / 大锅菜
* 大頭菜 / 大头菜 (dàtóucài)
* 好菜
* 客菜
* 家常菜 (jiāchángcài)
* 寶塔菜 / 宝塔菜
* 小白菜 (xiǎobáicài)
* 小菜 (xiǎocài)
* 小菜碟兒 / 小菜碟儿
* 小菜飯 / 小菜饭
* 小鍋菜 / 小锅菜
* 布菜 (bùcài)
* 年菜 (niáncài)
* 招牌菜 (zhāopáicài)
* 拿手菜 (náshǒucài)
* 捕蟲堇菜 / 捕虫堇菜
* 擇菜 / 择菜 (zháicài)
* 攤黃菜 / 摊黄菜
* 放小菜兒 / 放小菜儿
* 春菜絲兒 / 春菜丝儿
* 有機蔬菜 / 有机蔬菜
* 果菜 (guǒcài)
* 果菜市場 / 果菜市场
* 果菜類 / 果菜类
* 根菜類 / 根菜类 (gēncàilèi)
* 椰菜 (yēcài)
* 榨菜 (zhàcài)
* 水耕蔬菜
* 江淮菜 (Jiānghuái cài)
* 沉菜
* 法國菜 / 法国菜
* 波稜菜 / 波棱菜
* 油菜 (yóucài)
* 泡菜 (pàocài)
* 洋白菜 (yángbáicài)
* 洋菜 (yángcài)
* 海白菜
* 海菜 (hǎicài, “(edible) seaweed”)
* 滷菜 / 卤菜 (lǔcài)
* 漏虀搭菜
* 炒菜 (chǎocài)
* 煮菜
* 熬菜
* 熟菜
* 燕菜 (yàncài)
* 珊瑚菜
* 甘紫菜
* 甜菜 (tiáncài)
* 生菜 (shēngcài)
* 番菜
* 番菜館 / 番菜馆
* 白屈菜 (báiqūcài)
* 白花菜
* 白菜 (báicài)
* 盆菜 (péncài)
* 盒子菜
* 盤菜 / 盘菜 (páncài)
* 眼子菜
* 石花菜 (shíhuācài)
* 砍瓜切菜
* 空心菜 (kōngxīncài)
* 素菜 (sùcài)
* 組合菜 / 组合菜
* 紫菜 (zǐcài)
* 羅漢菜 / 罗汉菜
* 羊栖菜 (yángqīcài)
* 羊踏菜園 / 羊踏菜园
* 義大利菜 / 义大利菜
* 翠玉白菜
* 肉邊菜 / 肉边菜
* 花椰菜 (huāyēcài)
* 芹菜 (qíncài)
* 芽菜 (yácài, “mungbean sprout, soybean sprout”)
* 芥菜
* 芥菜頭 / 芥菜头
* 花菜類 / 花菜类
* 芥藍菜 / 芥蓝菜
* 茅膏菜
* 苦菜 (kǔcài)
* 草腹菜腸 / 草腹菜肠
* 茯苓菜
* 荇菜 (xìngcài)
* 荳芽菜 / 豆芽菜
* 莕菜
* 莧菜 / 苋菜 (xiàncài)
* 菜刀 (càidāo)
* 菜包子 (càibāozi)
* 菜單 / 菜单 (càidān)
* 菜圃 (càipǔ)
* 菜園 / 菜园 (càiyuán)
* 菜場 / 菜场 (càichǎng)
* 菜姑 (chhài-ko͘) (Min Nan)
* 菜子 (càizǐ)
* 菜市 (càishì)
* 菜市口 (Càishìkǒu)
* 菜市場 / 菜市场
* 菜式 (càishì)
* 菜心 (càixīn)
* 菜攤 / 菜摊 (càitān)
* 菜案 (cài'àn)
* 菜根
* 菜根譚 / 菜根谭
* 菜殼子 / 菜壳子
* 菜油 (càiyóu)
* 菜油燈 / 菜油灯
* 菜牛 (càiniú)
* 菜瓜 (càiguā)
* 菜瓜布
* 菜畦 (càiqí)
* 菜盒子
* 菜秧 (càiyāng)
* 菠稜菜 / 菠棱菜 (bōléngcài)
* 菜籃 / 菜篮 (càilán)
* 菜籽 (càizǐ)
* 菜色 (càisè)
* 菜花 (càihuā)
* 菜茹
* 菘菜
* 菫菜 / 堇菜
* 菠菜 (bōcài)
* 菰菜
* 菜蔬 (càishū)
* 菜薹 (càitái)
* 菜虎子
* 菜蚜
* 菜蟲 / 菜虫 (càichóng)
* 菜譜 / 菜谱 (càipǔ)
* 菜豆 (càidòu)
* 菜貨 / 菜货
* 菜農 / 菜农 (càinóng)
* 菜青 (càiqīng)
* 菜頭 / 菜头 (càitóu)
* 菜館 / 菜馆 (càiguǎn)
* 菜餚 / 菜肴 (càiyáo)
* 菜饌 / 菜馔
* 菜馬 / 菜马
* 菜鳥 / 菜鸟 (càiniǎo)
* 菜鴨 / 菜鸭
* 菜鴿子 / 菜鸽子
* 葉甜菜 / 叶甜菜 (yètiáncài)
* 葷菜 / 荤菜 (hūncài)
* 葉菜類 / 叶菜类
* 蓋菜 / 盖菜 (gàicài)
* 蒓菜 / 莼菜 (chúncài)
* 蔊菜
* 蔬菜 (shūcài)
* 蓼菜成行
* 蕹菜 (wèngcài)
* 蕺菜 (jícài)
* 薺菜 / 荠菜 (jìcài)
* 藤菜 (téngcài)
* 行菜
* 裙帶菜 / 裙带菜 (qúndàicài)
* 豆芽菜 (dòuyácài)
* 貢菜 / 贡菜
* 買菜 / 买菜 (mǎicài)
* 買菜求益 / 买菜求益
* 車輪菜 / 车轮菜
* 辣菜 (làcài)
* 辣菜根子
* 酒菜 (jiǔcài)
* 配菜 (pèicài)
* 酸菜 (suāncài)
* 醃菜 / 腌菜 (yāncài)
* 醬菜 / 酱菜 (jiàngcài)
* 釋菜 / 释菜
* 野莧菜 / 野苋菜
* 野菜 (yěcài)
* 金花菜
* 金針菜 / 金针菜 (jīnzhēncài)
* 銀條菜 / 银条菜
* 長年菜 / 长年菜
* 雜合菜 / 杂合菜
* 霉乾菜 (méigāncài)
* 青江白菜
* 青菜 (qīngcài)
* 面有菜色 (miànyǒucàisè)
* 韭菜 (jiǔcài)
* 韭菜盒子 (jiǔcài hézi)
* 韭菜花 (jiǔcàihuā)
* 頭髮菜 / 头发菜
* 飛龍菜 / 飞龙菜
* 飯菜 / 饭菜 (fàncài)
* 餔菜 / 𫗦菜
* 香菜 (xiāngcài)
* 高麗菜 / 高丽菜
* 髮菜 / 发菜 (fàcài)
* 鮭菜 / 鲑菜
* 鵝仔菜 / 鹅仔菜 (ngò-é-chhoi) (Min Nan)
* 鵠形菜色 / 鹄形菜色
* 鷓鴣菜 / 鹧鸪菜
* 鹹菜 / 咸菜 (xiáncài)
* 鹿角菜
* 麻菜珩 (Mácàihéng)
* 黃花菜 / 黄花菜 (huánghuācài)
* 黃花蜜菜 / 黄花蜜菜
* 點菜 / 点菜 (diǎncài)
* 龍鬚菜 / 龙须菜 (lóngxūcài)

### References

* “菜”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎, 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–
* “菜”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2025.

## Japanese

| Shinjitai | 菜 |
| Kyūjitai | 菜󠄁 菜+&#xE0101; (Adobe-Japan1) |
| Kyūjitai | 菜󠄄 菜+&#xE0104; (Hanyo-Denshi) (Moji_Joho) |
| Kyūjitai | 菜󠄃 菜+&#xE0103; (Hanyo-Denshi) (Moji_Joho) |
| The displayed kanji may be different from the image due to your environment. See here for details. |||

### Kanji

(Fourth grade kyōiku kanji)
* greens; vegetables
* rape (Brassica napus); rapeseed
* side dish

#### Readings

* Go-on: さい (sai, Jōyō)
* Kan-on: さい (sai, Jōyō)
* Kun: な (na, 菜, Jōyō)

#### Compounds

* 菜(さい)園(えん) (saien)
* 菜(さい)花(か) (saika)
* 菜(さい)果(か) (saika)
* 菜(さい)館(かん) (saikan)
* 菜(さい)畦(けい) (saikei)
* 菜(さい)甲(こう) (saikō)
* 菜(さい)羹(こう) (saikō)
* 菜(さい)骨(こつ) (saikotsu)
* 菜(さい)根(こん) (saikon)
* 菜(さい)市(し) (saishi)
* 菜(さい)肆(し) (saishi)
* 菜(さい)粥(しゅく) (saishuku)
* 菜(さい)菹(しょ) (saisho)
* 菜(さい)茹(じょ) (saijo)
* 菜(さい)色(しょく) (saishoku)
* 菜(さい)食(しょく) (saishoku)
* 菜(さい)人(じん) (saijin)
* 菜(さい)銭(せん) (saisen)
* 菜(さい)蔬(そ) (saiso)
* 菜(さい)菹(そ) (saiso)
* 菜(さい)代(だい) (saidai)
* 菜(さい)単(たん) (saitan)
* 菜(さい)地(ち) (saichi)
* 菜(さい)腸(ちょう) (saichō)
* 菜(さい)肚(と) (saito)
* 菜(さい)刀(とう) (saitō)
* 菜(さい)把(は) (saiha)
* 菜(さい)伯(はく) (saihaku)
* 菜(さい)箸(ばし) (saibashi)
* 菜(さい)飯(はん) (saihan)
* 菜(さい)夫(ふ) (saifu)
* 菜(さい)餠(へい) (saihei)
* 菜(さい)圃(ほ) (saiho)
* 菜(さい)畝(ほ) (saiho)
* 菜(さい)油(ゆ) (saiyu)
* 菜(さい)料(りょう) (sairyō)
* 菜(さい)籠(ろう) (sairō)
* 荇菜(あさざ), 莕菜(あさざ) (asaza)
* 園(えん)菜(さい) (ensai)
* 塩(えん)菜(さい) (ensai)
* 果(か)菜(さい) (kasai)
* 嘉(か)菜(さい) (kasai)
* 解(かい)菜(さい) (kaisai)
* 鮭(かい)菜(さい) (kaisai)
* 寒(かん)菜(さい) (kansai)
* 葵(き)菜(さい) (kisai)
* 魚(ぎょ)菜(さい) (gyosai)
* 麒麟菜(キリンサイ) (kirinsai)
* 芹(きん)菜(さい) (kinsai)
* 菫(きん)菜(さい) (kinsai)
* 苦(く)菜(さい) (kusai)
* 捃(くん)菜(さい) (kunsai)
* 葷(くん)菜(さい) (kunsai)
* 菰(こ)菜(さい) (kosai)
* 咬(こう)菜(さい) (kōsai)
* 香(こう)菜(さい) (kōsai)
* 根(こん)菜(さい) (konsai)
* 祭(さい)菜(さい) (saisai)
* 雑菜
* 山(さん)菜(さい) (sansai)
* 種(しゅ)菜(さい) (shusai)
* 拾(しゅう)菜(さい) (shūsai)
* 蓴(じゅん)菜(さい) (junsai)
* 茹(じょ)菜(さい) (josai)
* 食(しょく)菜(さい) (shokusai)
* 水(すい)菜(さい) (suisai)
* 釈(せき)菜(さい) (sekisai)
* 前(ぜん)菜(さい) (zensai)
* 蔬(そ)菜(さい) (sosai)
* 総(そう)菜(ざい), 惣(そう)菜(ざい) (sōzai)
* 束(そく)菜(さい) (sokusai)
* 択(たく)菜(さい) (takusai)
* 畜(ちく)菜(さい) (chikusai)
* 摘(てき)菜(さい) (tekisai)
* 甜(てん)菜(さい) (tensai, “sugar beet”)
* 奠(てん)菜(さい) (tensai)
* 冬(とう)菜(さい) (tōsai)
* 白(はく)菜(さい) (hakusai, “bok choy”)
* 白屈菜(はっくさい) (hakkusai)
* 飯(はん)菜(さい) (hansai)
* 蘋菜
* 鼈(べっ)菜(さい) (bessai)
* 野(や)菜(さい) (yasai)
* 葉(よう)菜(さい) (yōsai)
* 蕹菜(ようさい) (yōsai)
* 冷(れい)菜(さい) (reisai)
* 萵(わ)菜(さい) (wasai)

### Etymology

* Kanji in this term
* 菜
* な Grade: 4
* kun'yomi
From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *na.

### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) な [náꜜ] (Atamadaka – [1])
* IPA: [na̠]

### Noun

菜(な) • (na)
* greens

#### Derived terms

* 菜(な)刀(がたな) (nagatana)
* 菜(な)粥(がゆ) (nagayu)
* 菜(な)殻(がら)火(び) (nagarabi)
* 菜(な)葱(ぎ) (nagi)
* 菜(な)種(たね) (natane)
* 菜(な)漬(づ)け (nazuke)
* 菜(な)っ葉(ぱ) (nappa)
* 菜(な)の花(はな) (nanohana)
* 菜(な)畑(ばたけ) (nabatake)
* 菜(な)花(ばな) (nabana)
* 菜(な)虫(むし) (namushi)
* 菜(な)飯(めし) (nameshi)
* 菜(な)類(るい) (narui)
* 青(あお)菜(な) (aona)
* 畔菜(アゼナ) (azena)
* 油菜(アブラナ) (aburana)
* 蕪(かぶ)菜(な) (kabuna), 蕪(かぶら)菜(な) (kaburana): turnip
* 京菜(きょうな) (kyōna)
* 茎(くき)菜(な) (kukina)
* 髪剃菜(コウゾリナ) (kōzorina)
* 小(こ)松(まつ)菜(な) (komatsuna): komatsuna
* 肴(さかな) (sakana)
** 魚(さかな) (sakana)
* 塩(しお)菜(な) (shiona)
* 水前寺菜(スイゼンジナ) (suizenjina)
* 菘(すずな) (suzuna), 鈴(すず)菜(な) (suzuna): turnip
* 縮緬菜(チリメンナ) (chirimenna)
* 摘(つみ)菜(な) (tsumina)
* 蔓菜(つるな) (tsuruna)
* 苦(ニガ)菜(ナ) (nigana)
* 野沢菜(ノザワナ) (nozawana)
* 冬(ふゆ)菜(な) (fuyuna)
* 水(ミズ)菜(ナ) (mizuna)
* 嫁菜(ヨメナ) (yomena)

### References

* ↑ 白川静 (Shirakawa Shizuka) (2014) “菜”, in 字通 (Jitsū)‎ (in Japanese), popular edition, Tōkyō: Heibonsha, →ISBN
* ↑ Shōundō Henshūjo, editor (1927), 新漢和辞典 [The New Kanji-Japanese Dictionary] (in Japanese), Ōsaka: Shōundō, →DOI, page 1033 (paper), page 529 (digital)
* ↑ Haga, Gōtarō (1914) 漢和大辞書 [The Great Kanji-Japanese Dictionary] (in Japanese), Fourth edition, Tōkyō: Kōbunsha, →DOI, page 1826 (paper), page 965 (digital)
* ↑ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
* ↑ NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tokyo: NHK Publishing, Inc., →ISBN
* ↑ Yamada, Tadao et al., editors (2011), 新明解国語辞典 [Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten] (in Japanese), Seventh edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

## Korean
### Hanja

菜 (eumhun 나물 채 (namul chae))
* An edible plant or leaf of plant. greens; vegetables

#### Compounds

* 야채 (野菜, yachae, “vegetable”)
* 채소 (菜蔬, chaeso, “vegetable”)
* 채소류 (菜蔬類, chaesoryu)
* 채소밭 (菜蔬밭, chaesobat, “vegetable garden”)
* 향채 (香菜, hyangchae, “coriander”)
* 채식주의 (菜食主義, chaesikjuui, “vegetarianism”)
* 채식주의자 (菜食主義者, chaesikjuuija, “vegetarian”)
* 건채 (乾菜, geonchae, “ dried vegetable(s)”)
* 공심채 (空心菜, gongsimchae, “ water spinach”)
* 잡채 (雜菜, japchae, “mixed vegetables”)

## Vietnamese
### Han character

菜: Hán Nôm readings: cải, thái, thủy/thuỷ, linh, lê
* This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.