Word and Radical Components of 菠菜

The Chinese word 菠菜 is analysed below into its constituent words and the words into radicals. By seeing the breakdown of the word in this way you can more easily learn and recognise the word.

Component	Pinyin	Meanings
菠菜		1. spinach

Component	Pinyin	Meanings
菠	bō	1. (zh-used2, c)
菜	cài	1. vegetable; greens
	蔬菜 - vegetables -
	白菜 - Chinese cabbage -
	菠菜 - spinach -
	2. (specifically, in compounds) rape; rapeseed (plant used for vegetable oil)
	3. 菜籽 - rapeseed -
	4. 菜油 - rapeseed oil -
	5. dish; course
	這道菜很對胃口。 - This dish is tasty.
	每次他來這兒r，他都點同樣的菜。 - Whenever he comes to this place, he orders the same dish.
	我在考慮我晚飯做什麼菜。 - I'm wondering what to cook for dinner.
	6. cuisine; (type of) food
	川菜 - Sichuan cuisine -
	日本菜 - Japanese food -
	7. grocery
	買菜 - to buy groceries -
	菜市場 - farmers' market -
	8. (colloquial) (one's) type; cup of tea
	他是我的菜！ - He is my type!
	9. (colloquial) bad; inferior; disappointing; below average
	菜鳥 - noob -
	我好菜啊。 - I'm so inferior to others.
	菜英文 - poor English (pun on the name of Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen)
	10. (Hong Kong Cantonese, slang) girlfriend
	Cai; Tsai

Component

Pinyin

Meanings

菠

bō

1. (zh-used2, c)

菜

cài

1. vegetable; greens

蔬菜 - vegetables -

白菜 - Chinese cabbage -

菠菜 - spinach -

2. (specifically, in compounds) rape; rapeseed (plant used for vegetable oil)

3. 菜籽 - rapeseed -

4. 菜油 - rapeseed oil -

5. dish; course

這道菜很對胃口。 - This dish is tasty.

每次他來這兒r，他都點同樣的菜。 - Whenever he comes to this place, he orders the same dish.

我在考慮我晚飯做什麼菜。 - I'm wondering what to cook for dinner.

6. cuisine; (type of) food

川菜 - Sichuan cuisine -

日本菜 - Japanese food -

7. grocery

買菜 - to buy groceries -

菜市場 - farmers' market -

8. (colloquial) (one's) type; cup of tea

他是我的菜！ - He is my type!

9. (colloquial) bad; inferior; disappointing; below average

菜鳥 - noob -

我好菜啊。 - I'm so inferior to others.

菜英文 - poor English (pun on the name of Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen)

10. (Hong Kong Cantonese, slang) girlfriend

Cai; Tsai

Component	Pinyin	Meanings
艸		1. grass
	2. Variant of 草
波	bō, pō	1. wave; breaker
	2. undulation
	3. (physics) wave
	聲波 (shēngbō) - sound wave
	微波 (wēibō) - microwave
	4. (Sichuanese, including, Chongqing and Neijiang) elderly person
	5. Short for 波蘭, Poland
	6. Short for 波斯, Persia
	7. Used in 波羅 (,) Alternative form of 菠蘿
	8. (Cantonese, Leizhou Min, Hainanese) ball
	9. (Cantonese) ball game, especially football
	10. (Cantonese) team in a ball game, especially football
	11. (Cantonese) automotive gear, gearbox; transmission
	低波 - low gear
	12. (Hong Kong Cantonese) typhoon signal (issued by the Hong Kong Observatory)
	八號波 - Typhoon Signal No. 8
	13. (chiefly Hong Kong Cantonese figurative) boob; breast
	14. (Hong Kong Cantonese) ball; dance party
	15. (Hong Kong Cantonese figuratively, always with the classifier) responsibility
	16. Variant of 簸

Component

Pinyin

Meanings

艸

1. grass

2. Variant of 草

波

bō, pō

1. wave; breaker

2. undulation

3. (physics) wave

聲波 (shēngbō) - sound wave

微波 (wēibō) - microwave

4. (Sichuanese, including, Chongqing and Neijiang) elderly person

5. Short for 波蘭, Poland

6. Short for 波斯, Persia

7. Used in 波羅 (,) Alternative form of 菠蘿

8. (Cantonese, Leizhou Min, Hainanese) ball

9. (Cantonese) ball game, especially football

10. (Cantonese) team in a ball game, especially football

11. (Cantonese) automotive gear, gearbox; transmission

低波 - low gear

12. (Hong Kong Cantonese) typhoon signal (issued by the Hong Kong Observatory)

八號波 - Typhoon Signal No. 8

13. (chiefly Hong Kong Cantonese figurative) boob; breast

14. (Hong Kong Cantonese) ball; dance party

15. (Hong Kong Cantonese figuratively, always with the classifier) responsibility

16. Variant of 簸

Component	Pinyin	Meanings
艸		1. grass
	2. Variant of 草
采	cài	1. Simplified form of 採
	2. Variant of 彩

Component

Pinyin

Meanings

艸

1. grass

2. Variant of 草

采

cài

1. Simplified form of 採

2. Variant of 彩

Component	Pinyin	Meanings
水	shuǐ	1. water
	請給我一杯水，謝謝。 (Qǐng gěi wǒ yī bēi shuǐ, xièxiè.) - A glass of water, please.
	喝水 - hēshuǐ - to drink water
	冰水 - bīngshuǐ - iced water
	冷水 - lěngshuǐ - cold water
	凍水 - dung3 seoi2 - cold water, C
	熱水 - rèshuǐ - hot water
	開水 - kāishuǐ - boiled water
	滾水 - gwan2 seoi2 - boiled water, C
	水族館 - shuǐzúguǎn - aquarium
	水彩 - shuǐcǎi - watercolour
	水溫 - shuǐwēn - water temperature
	雨水 - yǔshuǐ - rainwater
	海水 - hǎishuǐ - seawater
	飲用水 - yǐnyòngshuǐ - drinking water
	礦泉水 - kuàngquánshuǐ - mineral water
	蒸餾水 - zhēngliúshuǐ - distilled water
	水閘 - shuǐzhá - sluice
	水力發電 - shuǐlìfādiàn - hydroelectricity
	碳水化合物 - tànshuǐhuàhéwù - carbohydrate
	脫水 - tuōshuǐ - to dehydrate; dehydration
	水中毒 - shuǐzhōngdú - water intoxication; water poisoning
	雙氧水 - shuāngyǎngshuǐ, lit=water with two oxygen (atoms) - hydrogen peroxide
	2. liquid; potion; juice
	口水 - kǒushuǐ - saliva
	汗水 - hànshuǐ - sweat
	羊水 - yángshuǐ - amniotic fluid
	香水 - xiāngshuǐ - perfume
	眼藥水 - yǎnyàoshuǐ - eyedrop
	3. (colloquial, mainly, Singapore, Malaysia) Synonym of 飲料 (beverage)
	要叫什麼水？ (Yào jiào shénme shuǐ?) - What beverage do you want to order?
	欲叫什sím物水？ (Beh kiò sím-mi̍h chúi?) - What beverage do you want to order?, MN
	4. (archaic) river
	漢水 - Hànshuǐ - the Han River
	5. body of water
	水路 - shuǐlù - waterway
	三面環水 (sān miàn huán shuǐ) - to be surrounded by (bodies of) water on three sides
	6. flood
	發水 - fāshuǐ - to flood
	7. additional cost or income
	8. (dialectal) rain
	9. (Cantonese) money
	磅水 - bong6 seoi2 - to pay, C
	掠loek6-1水 - loek6-1 seoi2 - to obtain money dishonestly, C
	10. (Cantonese) hundred dollars
	三嚿水 - saam1 gau6 seoi2 - three hundred dollars, C
	11. (Cantonese) source of revenue
	12. (Cantonese) to fool; to deceive; to misguide
	13. to swim
	水性 - shuǐxìng - swimming ability
	14. (colloquial) lacking substance or power; worthless
	這裡的大學太水了。 (Zhèlǐ de dàxué tài shuǐ le.) - The universities here are too weak.
	15. Short for 划水, gloss=to shirk; to slack off
	16. one of the five elements of Wu Xing (五行)
	17. (colloquial) Classifier for the number of times clothing was washed.
	18. Sui people
	水書 - shuǐshū - Shuishu (the traditional writing system of the Sui people)
	19. Variant of 媠
皮	pí	1. skin; peel; shell
	甩皮 - to have flaky skin; to have peeling skin
	樹皮 - bark
	香蕉皮 - banana peel
	2. hide; leather
	皮鞋 - leather shoes
	3. wrapper; cover; skin
	餃子zi 皮 - jiaozi wrapper
	4. surface; top part
	水皮 - water surface
	5. rubber
	6. thin sheet
	鐵皮 - iron sheet
	7. outer; superficial
	8. sticky; glutinous
	9. soggy; non-crispy
	10. naughty; disobedient
	11. thick-skinned
	12. pico- (SI unit prefix)
	13. (Cantonese, colloquial) ten thousand dollars
	14. (Cantonese) Short for 皮費, operation expense

Component

Pinyin

Meanings

水

shuǐ

1. water

請給我一杯水，謝謝。 (Qǐng gěi wǒ yī bēi shuǐ, xièxiè.) - A glass of water, please.

喝水 - hēshuǐ - to drink water

冰水 - bīngshuǐ - iced water

冷水 - lěngshuǐ - cold water

凍水 - dung3 seoi2 - cold water, C

熱水 - rèshuǐ - hot water

開水 - kāishuǐ - boiled water

滾水 - gwan2 seoi2 - boiled water, C

水族館 - shuǐzúguǎn - aquarium

水彩 - shuǐcǎi - watercolour

水溫 - shuǐwēn - water temperature

雨水 - yǔshuǐ - rainwater

海水 - hǎishuǐ - seawater

飲用水 - yǐnyòngshuǐ - drinking water

礦泉水 - kuàngquánshuǐ - mineral water

蒸餾水 - zhēngliúshuǐ - distilled water

水閘 - shuǐzhá - sluice

水力發電 - shuǐlìfādiàn - hydroelectricity

碳水化合物 - tànshuǐhuàhéwù - carbohydrate

脫水 - tuōshuǐ - to dehydrate; dehydration

水中毒 - shuǐzhōngdú - water intoxication; water poisoning

雙氧水 - shuāngyǎngshuǐ, lit=water with two oxygen (atoms) - hydrogen peroxide

2. liquid; potion; juice

口水 - kǒushuǐ - saliva

汗水 - hànshuǐ - sweat

羊水 - yángshuǐ - amniotic fluid

香水 - xiāngshuǐ - perfume

眼藥水 - yǎnyàoshuǐ - eyedrop

3. (colloquial, mainly, Singapore, Malaysia) Synonym of 飲料 (beverage)

要叫什麼水？ (Yào jiào shénme shuǐ?) - What beverage do you want to order?

欲叫什sím物水？ (Beh kiò sím-mi̍h chúi?) - What beverage do you want to order?, MN

4. (archaic) river

漢水 - Hànshuǐ - the Han River

5. body of water

水路 - shuǐlù - waterway

三面環水 (sān miàn huán shuǐ) - to be surrounded by (bodies of) water on three sides

6. flood

發水 - fāshuǐ - to flood

7. additional cost or income

8. (dialectal) rain

9. (Cantonese) money

磅水 - bong6 seoi2 - to pay, C

掠loek6-1水 - loek6-1 seoi2 - to obtain money dishonestly, C

10. (Cantonese) hundred dollars

三嚿水 - saam1 gau6 seoi2 - three hundred dollars, C

11. (Cantonese) source of revenue

12. (Cantonese) to fool; to deceive; to misguide

13. to swim

水性 - shuǐxìng - swimming ability

14. (colloquial) lacking substance or power; worthless

這裡的大學太水了。 (Zhèlǐ de dàxué tài shuǐ le.) - The universities here are too weak.

15. Short for 划水, gloss=to shirk; to slack off

16. one of the five elements of Wu Xing (五行)

17. (colloquial) Classifier for the number of times clothing was washed.

18. Sui people

水書 - shuǐshū - Shuishu (the traditional writing system of the Sui people)

19. Variant of 媠

皮

pí

1. skin; peel; shell

甩皮 - to have flaky skin; to have peeling skin

樹皮 - bark

香蕉皮 - banana peel

2. hide; leather

皮鞋 - leather shoes

3. wrapper; cover; skin

餃子zi 皮 - jiaozi wrapper

4. surface; top part

水皮 - water surface

5. rubber

6. thin sheet

鐵皮 - iron sheet

7. outer; superficial

8. sticky; glutinous

9. soggy; non-crispy

10. naughty; disobedient

11. thick-skinned

12. pico- (SI unit prefix)

13. (Cantonese, colloquial) ten thousand dollars

14. (Cantonese) Short for 皮費, operation expense

Component	Pinyin	Meanings
爪	zhuǎ, zhǎo	1. claw (of animal, bird); talon; paw; nail
	2. (Hakka) to grab with claws
	3. claw-like object; foot (of an item)
	4. (derogatory or humorous) hand (of a person)
	5. (Quanzhou, &, Xiamen Hokkien) nail (of a person)
	6. =====Usage notes=====
	7. (Min Nan) to claw; to scratch (with one's claw or nail)
	8. (Quanzhou, &, Xiamen Hokkien)
木	mù	1. tree; woody plant
	Synonyms: 樹
	樹木 - tree
	灌木 - shrub
	木芍藥 - tree peony
	2. wood; timber
	木頭tou - log
	3. wooden
	這張桌子是木的。 - This table is made of wood
	4. simple; plain; slow; emotionless; wooden
	木訥 - plain spoken, slow and inarticulate
	棺木 - coffin
	就木 - to die (to enter one's coffin)
	5. (Mandarin, neologism, slang) (eye dialect of zh, 沒)
	有木有 - innit, damn right
	6. numb
	麻木 - numb, insensitive
	她手指凍木了。 - Her fingers were numb with cold.

Component

Pinyin

Meanings

爪

zhuǎ, zhǎo

1. claw (of animal, bird); talon; paw; nail

2. (Hakka) to grab with claws

3. claw-like object; foot (of an item)

4. (derogatory or humorous) hand (of a person)

5. (Quanzhou, &, Xiamen Hokkien) nail (of a person)

6. =====Usage notes=====

7. (Min Nan) to claw; to scratch (with one's claw or nail)

8. (Quanzhou, &, Xiamen Hokkien)

木

mù

1. tree; woody plant

Synonyms: 樹

樹木 - tree

灌木 - shrub

木芍藥 - tree peony

2. wood; timber

木頭tou - log

3. wooden

這張桌子是木的。 - This table is made of wood

4. simple; plain; slow; emotionless; wooden

木訥 - plain spoken, slow and inarticulate

棺木 - coffin

就木 - to die (to enter one's coffin)

5. (Mandarin, neologism, slang) (eye dialect of zh, 沒)

有木有 - innit, damn right

6. numb

麻木 - numb, insensitive

她手指凍木了。 - Her fingers were numb with cold.