Definition
做菜 is a verb-object separable phrase (离合词) meaning 'to cook dishes.' The object 菜 can be separated from 做 by inserting a measure word, time expression, or adjective, e.g., 做一道菜 ('cook one dish'), 做了三个小时的菜 ('cooked for three hours'). It emphasizes the act of preparing food (dishes), whereas 做饭 is broader ('cook rice/meal').
v
to cook (dishes)to prepare food
Examples
- 做菜。Tā měitiān xiàbān hòu dōu yào huíjiā zuò cài.She has to go home and cook after work every day.
- 。Jīntiān nǐ lái zuò yí dào cài ba.Today you make one dish.
- 做菜，。Wǒ xué zuò cài xué le liǎng nián, xiànzài huì zuò hěn duō zhǒng cài.I've been learning to cook for two years, and now I can make many kinds of dishes.
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