tong4 saang1 coi3唐生菜

Jyutpingtong4 saang1 coi3

Yaletòhng sāang choi

名詞

Definition

Chinese lettuce.

colloquialfood

How it's used

This vegetable is a staple in Hong Kong cuisine, especially for hot pot or as a simple blanched side dish with oyster sauce. It is distinct from Western lettuce varieties because of its crisp texture and ability to hold up well in boiling broth without turning into mush immediately. When shopping, you will often hear it referred to simply as 生菜, but specifying 唐生菜 clarifies that you mean the traditional Chinese variety.

Measure word

fo2棵fó

Examples

daa2打bin1邊lou4爐jat1一ding6定jiu3要giu3叫dip2碟tong4唐saang1生coi3菜。

You must order a plate of Chinese lettuce when having hot pot.

ni1呢di1啲tong4唐saang1生coi3菜hou2好san1新sin1鮮，gei2幾cin4錢gan1斤aa4呀？

This Chinese lettuce is very fresh, how much is it per catty?

Common phrases

hou4蠔jau4油tong4唐saang1生coi3菜

blanched Chinese lettuce with oyster sauce

Common mistake

Be careful not to confuse this with 菜心, which is a different leafy green with a distinct stalk and yellow flowers. While both are common, they have different textures and cooking times.