“菜” – Know it and you’ll never go hungry. (Elementary)

When you go out to eat in China, the word “菜(cài)” is ever-present. This one word is used to describe dishes, such as “家常菜(jiācháng cài) home-style dishes;” vegetables such as “白菜(báicài) bok choy,” or simply “蔬菜 (shūcài) vegetables;” cuisines, such as “法国菜(Fǎguó cài) French cuisine;” …