gaai3 coi3 zai2芥菜仔
Jyutpinggaai3 coi3 zai2
Yalegaai choi jái
Definition
Small mustard greens (Brassica juncea).
colloquialfood
How it's used
Refers specifically to the younger, more tender variety of mustard greens, which are prized for being less bitter than the mature, larger leaves. It is a staple in home-style Cantonese soups and stir-fries, often paired with salted duck eggs or ginger to balance its natural pungency. Unlike the larger, fibrous stalks, these are often cooked whole or just halved.
Measure word
zaat3扎jatExamples
I bought a bunch of small mustard greens to make soup tonight.
Do you like eating small mustard greens?
Related words
Common phrases
mustard green soup
mustard greens with salted egg
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 菜心, which is a different vegetable entirely. While both are leafy greens, 芥菜仔 has a distinct, slightly spicy or bitter profile that is absent in the milder 菜心.
Grammar color guide
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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.
