菜 (cài) - Meaning, Stroke Order, Words & Examples

Q: What does 菜 (cài) mean in Chinese?

The Chinese character 菜 (cài) means "vegetable; dish; cuisine". It is an HSK Level 1 character, with 11 strokes and the radical 艹.

Q: How do you write 菜 stroke by stroke?

菜 has 11 strokes. The radical is 艹. Follow the standard stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. Practice with stroke animation to build muscle memory.

Q: What's the difference between 菜 and 兹?

菜 (cài) and 兹 look similar but differ in meaning and usage. Check the radical and stroke count to tell them apart.

Q: What mistakes do learners make writing 菜?

Common mistake: incorrect stroke order or miswriting the radical 艹. Pay attention to the proportion between components — keep the radical compact.

Q: What common words use 菜?

Common words containing 菜 include: 白菜 (bái cài) — Chinese cabbage; 点菜 (diǎn cài) — to order food; 做菜 (zuò cài) — to cook; to make a dish.

How to Write 菜

The character 菜 (cài) is written with 11 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 艹 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

Meaning & Pronunciation

菜 is pronounced cài in Mandarin Chinese. It means vegetable; dish; cuisine.

As an HSK Level 1 character, 菜 is among the first characters beginners learn.

Common Words with 菜

白菜 bái cài

Chinese cabbage

点菜 diǎn cài

to order food

做菜 zuò cài

to cook; to make a dish

Example Sentences

我喜欢吃白菜。

wǒ xǐ huān chī bái cài

I like eating Chinese cabbage.

我们现在点菜吧。

wǒ men xiàn zài diǎn cài ba

Let's order now.

妈妈正在做菜。

mā mā zhèng zài zuò cài

Mom is cooking.

Similar Characters

兹 zī

苧 níng

苲 zhǎ

Practice Writing 菜 (cài)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 菜 with real-time feedback.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 菜

What does 菜 (cài) mean in Chinese?

How do you write 菜 stroke by stroke?

What's the difference between 菜 and 兹?

What mistakes do learners make writing 菜?

What common words use 菜?

How to Write 菜 (cài)