COMPONENTS & ETYMOLOGY
How 菜 is built
Traditional etymology note: 艹 (plant) suggests the meaning, while 采 suggests the pronunciation.
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How to Write 菜 (cài) — Chinese Character Stroke Order, Meaning & Practice Sheet
vegetable; greens (CL:棵[ke1])
càiTone 4 (Falling)Drop your pitch sharply and firmly.
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STROKE BY STROKE
Static stroke diagrams
Follow all 11 strokes in the correct order.
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StrokeSheetCharacter Writing Worksheet
cài
菜
vegetable; greens (CL:棵[ke1])
Common words
cài dān
菜单
menu
shū cài
蔬菜
vegetables
cài yáo
菜肴
vegetable and meat dishes; dish
xiǎo cài yì dié
小菜一碟
a small appetizer; a piece of cake; very easy (idiom)
cài
菜
vegetable; greens (CL:棵[ke1]); dish (of food) (CL:樣|样[yang4],道[dao4],盤|盘[pan2]); (of one's skills etc) weak; poor; (coll.) (one's) type
Follow the stroke order, then write it on your own.
菜
菜
菜
菜
菜
菜
菜
菜
LEARNING TIP
Remember 菜
Say “cài” aloud as you replay the animation. Then hide the model and write the 11 strokes from memory. Short, repeated practice builds a stronger visual and motor connection.
Practice on CanvasWORDS WITH 菜
Common words and phrases
cài dān
menu
shū cài
vegetables
cài yáo
vegetable and meat dishes; dish
xiǎo cài yì dié
a small appetizer; a piece of cake; very easy (idiom)
cài
vegetable; greens (CL:棵[ke1]); dish (of food) (CL:樣|样[yang4],道[dao4],盤|盘[pan2]); (of one's skills etc) weak; poor; (coll.) (one's) type
IN CONTEXT
Example sentences
这个字是“菜”。
Zhège zì shì “cài”.
This character is “菜”.
我正在学习“菜”字。
Wǒ zhèngzài xuéxí “cài” zì.
I am learning the character “菜”.
请写一遍“菜”。
Qǐng xiě yí biàn “cài”.
Please write “菜” once.
Frequently asked questions
How many strokes are in 菜?
菜 is written with 11 strokes.
What does 菜 (cài) mean?
菜 (cài) means vegetable; greens (CL:棵[ke1]).
What is the radical of 菜?
The radical of 菜 is 艹, associated with Not yet classified.