菜
vegetable · side dish · greens
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of grass and pick. Vegetables to be picked.
Symbolism
Vegetables, side dish, vegetarian. Represents healthy eating.
Component Breakdown
grass + 采
Words & Expressions
Words written with 菜
Four-Character Compounds
一汁一菜
いちじゅういっさい
one-plate meal; simple meal; austerity diet
青菜に塩
あおなにしお
Salt on greens; Looking wilted and dispirited
Poetry
君がため 春の野に出でて 若菜つむ わが衣手に 雪はふりつつ
For your sake I went out to the spring fields to gather young herbs, and the snow kept falling on my sleeves.
菜の花や月は東に日は西に
Rape blossoms — the moon in the east, the sun in the west.
Anime & Manga
比羅坂日菜子がエロかわいいことを俺だけが知っている。
Hirasaka Hinako ga Ero Kawaii koto wo Ore dake ga Shitteiru.
A well-known work with 菜 in its Japanese title.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 菜 mean in Japanese?
菜 means vegetable, side dish, greens.
How do you read 菜?
On'yomi: サイ (SAI). Kun'yomi: な (na).
How many strokes does 菜 have?
菜 has 11 strokes. Its radical is 艸 (grass).
Is 菜 a good kanji for a tattoo?
菜 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means vegetable, side dish, greens. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.