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菘 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
菘sōngcelery, cabbageg, 11 strokes, radical 艹
菘sōng(cabbage)unknown, 11 strokes, radical 艹
菘sōngBrassica chinensisunknown, 11 strokes, radical 艹
sōng(song1)song T1
  1. 1celery, cabbage
  2. 2(cabbage)
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March 24, 2026

菘sōng(song1)

The character 菘 (sōng) refers to a type of vegetable commonly known as celery or cabbage. It is often used in culinary contexts, especially in discussions about Asian cuisine where various leafy greens are popular. This word can also refer specifically to Brassica chinensis, a type of Chinese cabbage, showcasing its cultural significance in food.

Strokes11Radical艹
Cultural note

In Chinese cuisine, leafy greens like 菘 are staples in many dishes, symbolizing freshness and health. They often appear in stir-fries and soups, highlighting the importance of vegetables in daily meals.

Memory tip

Imagine a chef named Song (sōng) who loves to cook with fresh cabbage. The character 菘 has the 'grass' radical (艹) at the top, indicating it is a plant, and the bottom part sounds like 'song', which reminds you of cooking songs in the kitchen while preparing this vegetable.

Meanings of 菘

sōng(song1)
1celery, cabbage
2(cabbage)
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 菘

菘Simplified
11Strokes
艹Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 菘

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AI study notes for 菘

Usage Notes

While 菘 specifically refers to certain types of cabbage, learners should be careful not to confuse it with other leafy greens like 菠菜 (bōcài, spinach). This term is more often used in culinary contexts, so it's less common in formal writing. Be mindful of the pronunciation, as the tone is crucial to convey the right meaning.

HSK Study Tips

Although 菘 is not on the HSK list, it connects with other food-related vocabulary at this level, such as 蔬菜 (shūcài, vegetables) and 菜 (cài, dish/vegetable). Students should focus on recognizing the component radicals and using it in context to discuss food and cooking.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 菘 with other vegetables due to similar pronunciations. For example, mixing it up with 菠菜 (bōcài, spinach) is common; make sure to remember that 菘 refers specifically to a type of cabbage.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 菘

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Etymology of 菘

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory hint

plant

Semantic (meaning)艹
+
Phonetic (sound)松
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

菘 = 艹 + 松. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 菘

IDS Structure⿱艹松
菘Full character
=
艹cao3
top
松Song1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 菘?

How to say celery, cabbage in Chinese

“celery, cabbage” in Chinese is菘sōng

The character 菘 (sōng) refers to a type of vegetable commonly known as celery or cabbage. It is often used in culinary contexts, especially in discussions about Asian cuisine where various leafy greens are popular. This word can also refer specifically to Brassica chinensis, a type of Chinese cabbage, showcasing its cultural significance in food.

When to use 菘

While 菘 specifically refers to certain types of cabbage, learners should be careful not to confuse it with other leafy greens like 菠菜 (bōcài, spinach). This term is more often used in culinary contexts, so it's less common in formal writing. Be mindful of the pronunciation, as the tone is crucial to convey the right meaning.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 菘 with other vegetables due to similar pronunciations. For example, mixing it up with 菠菜 (bōcài, spinach) is common; make sure to remember that 菘 refers specifically to a type of cabbage.

Write 菘

菘

Practice writing 菘 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 菘

Words containing this character2
菘sōng(cabbage)
菘蓝Isatis tinctoria (woad, a brassica producing blue dye)菘藍
Exercise 1 of 1

Words with 菘

What does 菘蓝 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 菘

菘 specifically refers to a type of Chinese cabbage, while other terms like 大白菜 (dàbáicài) refer to different varieties.

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