coi3 toi4菜薹
Jyutpingcoi3 toi4
Yalechoi tòih
Definition
The tender flower stalk of vegetables, used as food.
colloquialfood
How it's used
Refers specifically to the edible, flowering shoots of leafy greens like choy sum or gai lan. It emphasizes the tender, crunchy texture of the stalk rather than the leaves themselves. You will often hear market vendors highlight this part of the vegetable to indicate freshness and quality.
Measure word
zaat3紮jatExamples
These vegetable stalks are very tender, they are perfect for stir-frying.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the general term 菜, which refers to vegetables as a whole. Using 菜薹 specifically draws attention to the stalk portion, so it is awkward to use it if you are referring to the leafy parts.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
