Chinese–EnglishWith examples

菜

cài · cai

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 1Measure words: 棵 kē, 样 yàng, 道 dào, 盘 pán

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. vegetable; greens
  2. dish (of food)
  3. (of one's skills etc) weak; poor
  4. (coll.) (one's) type
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In a conversation

0:17 cartoon

Ordering dishes

  1. Dengdeng

    亮亮(liàngliàng)，你(nǐ)点(diǎn)了(le)几个(jǐge)菜(cài)？

    Liangliang, how many dishes did you order?

  2. Liangliang

    四个(sìgè)菜(cài)，三个(sāngè)是(shì)肉(ròu)。

    Four dishes, three of them meat.

  3. Dengdeng

    我们(wǒmen)再(zài)点(diǎn)一个(yīgè)青菜(qīngcài)吧(ba)。

    Let's order a green vegetable too.

  4. Liangliang

    好(hǎo)，青菜(qīngcài)给(gěi)你(nǐ)，三个(sāngè)肉菜(ròucài)都(dōu)是(shì)我的(wǒde)。

    OK, greens for you; the three meat dishes are all mine.

  5. Dengdeng

    不行(bùxíng)，菜(cài)要(yào)分着(fēnzhe)吃(chī)！

    No way, dishes are for sharing!

Tap a word for its meaning in this line. The characters’ voices are computer-generated.

In a sentence

2 examples
01

你(nǐ)想(xiǎng)吃(chī)法(fǎ)国(guó)菜(cài)，日(rì)本(běn)菜(cài)还(hái)是(shi)中(zhōng)国(guó)菜(cài)？

Do you want to eat French, Japanese or Chinese food?

Tatoeba: Chinese by eastasiastudent · English by CM · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

02

妈(mā)妈(ma)今(jīn)天(tiān)买(mǎi)的(de)菜(cài)很(hěn)新(xīn)鲜(xiān)。

The vegetables Mom bought today are very fresh.

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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