野菜

• Reading: やさい
• Romaji: yasai
• Kanji breakdown: 野 (ya/no) — field, wild; 菜 (sai/na) — greens, vegetables
• Pronunciation: /ja.sa.i/

Meaning

Vegetable; vegetables. A general term for edible plants.

Covers all types of vegetables. Japanese cuisine features many unique vegetables like 大根 (daikon radish), れんこん (lotus root), and ごぼう (burdock). Vegetables are central to Japanese home cooking, appearing in miso soup, stir-fries, and side dishes.

Examples

1. 野菜をたくさん食べましょう。 Let's eat lots of vegetables.
2. この野菜はどこで買いましたか。 Where did you buy these vegetables?
3. 子供は野菜が好きではありません。 The children don't like vegetables.

Usage Guide

Context: cooking, health, shopping

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 野 (ya, 'field/wild') and 菜 (sai, 'greens/vegetables'). Literally 'field greens,' referring to plants cultivated in fields for eating.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal