凉菜 (liáng cài) — cold dish (served at room temperature or chilled, often as an appetizer in Chinese cuisine)

Definition

A cold dish — served chilled or at room temperature, typically as an appetizer before the main hot dishes (热菜) in a Chinese meal. Often dressed with vinegar, soy sauce, or chili.

noun
cold dish (served at room temperature or chilled, often as an appetizer in Chinese cuisine)
Measure word · 道

Examples

  • 凉菜。
    Wǒ men xiān diǎn liǎng gè liáng cài ba.
    Let's order two cold dishes first.
  • 凉菜。
    Zhè jiā diàn de liáng cài wèi dào hěn hǎo.
    The cold dishes at this restaurant taste great.
  • 凉菜。
    liáng cài Lǐ fàng le cù hé là jiāo.
    Vinegar and chili were added to the cold dish.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

凉liángcold
菜càidish

“凉” (cold) describes “菜” (dish/vegetable), meaning a chilled or uncooked dish.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 涼; 凉 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
京
京jīng涼liáng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 涼 combines 氵 (water) with 京, which gives the sound; the simplified 凉 is a later abbreviation.

Open 凉 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
采
采cǎi菜cài
Same sound today

菜 has 艹 (grass/plants) on top and 采 below; the top part shows it is a plant, while 采 gives the sound.

Open 菜 →

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