ceng1 coi3青菜
Jyutpingceng1 coi3
Yalechēng choi
Definition
Green vegetables; greens.
colloquialfood
How it's used
Refers specifically to leafy green vegetables rather than root vegetables or gourds. It is often used in a general sense to mean any simple vegetable dish served alongside meat. The phrase 咸魚青菜 is a common idiom representing a simple, humble meal.
Measure word
dip2碟dípExamples
What green vegetables are we eating tonight?
The greens here are very fresh.
Related words
Common phrases
blanched green vegetables
salted fish and greens (a humble meal)
Common mistake
Do not use this to refer to all vegetables in general. If you are talking about carrots, potatoes, or onions, use 蔬菜 instead.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
