Vegetables in Traditional Chinese: 80+ Easy Words & Phrases for Beginners

蔬菜（繁體中文） Traditional Chinese + Pinyin + Examples

Get the most useful veggie names first, then market-ready phrases. Every item includes Traditional Chinese characters, pinyin (tone marks), and a real-life example.

If you’ve ever stared at a menu or a market stall and thought, “Cool… what is that green thing?” — this is your cheat sheet.

Learn the vegetable names you’ll actually see in Taiwan-style Traditional Chinese, plus handy phrases for ordering, cooking preferences, and politely rejecting cilantro (a noble choice).

Yak Snark: “菜” can mean “vegetable” or “dish.” So yes, sometimes you’re saying “I like vegetables,” and sometimes you’re basically saying “I like food.” Honestly? Same.

Quick-start veggie words (with audio)

蔬菜

shūcài

vegetables (general)

我每天都想吃多一點蔬菜。

Wǒ měitiān dōu xiǎng chī duō yīdiǎn shūcài.

I want to eat a bit more vegetables every day.

青菜

qīngcài

greens / veggies (everyday word)

這碗麵可以加青菜嗎？

Zhè wǎn miàn kěyǐ jiā qīngcài ma?

Can you add greens to this bowl of noodles?

菠菜

bōcài

spinach

我想吃蒜炒菠菜。

Wǒ xiǎng chī suàn chǎo bōcài.

I want garlic stir-fried spinach.

胡蘿蔔

húluóbo

carrot

湯裡有胡蘿蔔，甜甜的。

Tāng lǐ yǒu húluóbo, tián tián de.

There are carrots in the soup—slightly sweet.

馬鈴薯

mǎlíngshǔ

potato

我想買兩顆馬鈴薯。

Wǒ xiǎng mǎi liǎng kē mǎlíngshǔ.

I want to buy two potatoes.

番茄

fānqié

tomato

這個番茄很紅，看起來很甜。

Zhège fānqié hěn hóng, kànqǐlái hěn tián.

This tomato is really red—looks sweet.

小黃瓜

xiǎohuángguā

cucumber

我喜歡小黃瓜，脆脆的。

Wǒ xǐhuān xiǎohuángguā, cuì cuì de.

I like cucumbers—nice and crunchy.

青花菜

qīnghuācài

broccoli (Taiwan common)

我晚餐想吃清炒青花菜。

Wǒ wǎncān xiǎng chī qīngchǎo qīnghuācài.

For dinner I want lightly stir-fried broccoli.

Useful market & menu phrases (copy-paste friendly)

幫我挑新鮮的。

Bāng wǒ tiāo xīnxiān de.

Help me pick fresh ones.

這個看起來不錯，幫我挑新鮮的。

Zhège kànqǐlái búcuò, bāng wǒ tiāo xīnxiān de.

This looks good—help me pick the fresh ones.

這個多少錢一斤？

Zhège duōshǎo qián yī jīn?

How much is this per jin?

老闆，這個多少錢一斤？

Lǎobǎn, zhège duōshǎo qián yī jīn?

Boss (vendor), how much per jin is this?

我要一把菠菜。

Wǒ yào yī bǎ bōcài.

I want a bunch of spinach.

我要一把菠菜，再一把青江菜。

Wǒ yào yī bǎ bōcài, zài yī bǎ qīngjiāngcài.

One bunch of spinach, and one bunch of bok choy.

可以加點青菜嗎？

Kěyǐ jiā diǎn qīngcài ma?

Can you add some veggies?

這碗湯可以加點青菜嗎？

Zhè wǎn tāng kěyǐ jiā diǎn qīngcài ma?

Can you add some veggies to this soup?

少油少鹽。

Shǎo yóu shǎo yán.

Less oil, less salt.

這道菜少油少鹽就好。

Zhè dào cài shǎo yóu shǎo yán jiù hǎo.

For this dish, less oil and salt is fine.

清炒就好。

Qīngchǎo jiù hǎo.

A light stir-fry is fine.

青江菜清炒就好，不用太多調味。

Qīngjiāngcài qīngchǎo jiù hǎo, búyòng tài duō tiáowèi.

Bok choy lightly stir-fried is enough—no heavy seasoning.

汆燙一下。

Cuāntàng yīxià.

Blanch it quickly.

青花菜汆燙一下就很脆。

Qīnghuācài cuāntàng yīxià jiù hěn cuì.

Blanching broccoli briefly keeps it crisp.

請幫我切小塊。

Qǐng bāng wǒ qiē xiǎo kuài.

Please cut it into small pieces.

南瓜請幫我切小塊，謝謝。

Nánguā qǐng bāng wǒ qiē xiǎo kuài, xièxie.

Please cut the pumpkin into small pieces—thanks.

不要蔥。

Bú yào cōng.

No scallions.

我不吃蔥，麻煩不要蔥。

Wǒ bù chī cōng, máfan bú yào cōng.

I don’t eat scallions—please no scallions.

不要香菜。

Bú yào xiāngcài.

No cilantro.

湯裡麻煩不要香菜。

Tāng lǐ máfan bú yào xiāngcài.

In the soup, please no cilantro.

我不吃辣。

Wǒ bù chī là.

I don’t eat spicy.

我不吃辣，辣椒可以不要嗎？

Wǒ bù chī là, làjiāo kěyǐ bú yào ma?

I don’t do spicy—can you skip the chili?

這個菜怎麼煮？

Zhège cài zěnme zhǔ?

How do you cook this vegetable/dish?

我沒買過山蘇，這個菜怎麼煮？

Wǒ méi mǎi guò shānsū, zhège cài zěnme zhǔ?

I’ve never bought shān sū—how do you cook it?

加蒜頭比較香。

Jiā suàntóu bǐjiào xiāng.

Adding garlic makes it more fragrant.

炒空心菜加蒜頭比較香。

Chǎo kōngxīncài jiā suàntóu bǐjiào xiāng.

Stir-frying water spinach with garlic smells amazing.

這道菜很下飯。

Zhè dào cài hěn xiàfàn.

This dish goes great with rice.

苦瓜炒蛋真的很下飯。

Kǔguā chǎo dàn zhēn de hěn xiàfàn.

Bitter melon with egg is seriously perfect with rice.

今天的菜很甜。

Jīntiān de cài hěn tián.

Today’s veggies are sweet.

今天的高麗菜很甜，適合煮湯。

Jīntiān de gāolícài hěn tián, shìhé zhǔ tāng.

Today’s cabbage is sweet—great for soup.

Quick curiosity note: In daily speech, 青菜 often means “vegetables/greens” (especially leafy ones). 蔬菜 is the more “dictionary” word for vegetables in general. And 菜 can be “a dish.” Context does the heavy lifting.

Vegetables list in Traditional Chinese (grouped)

Leafy greens, salad greens, and herbs

Traditional Chinese	Pinyin	Meaning (EN)	Example (ZH + pinyin)	Translation (EN)
高麗菜	gāolícài	cabbage	高麗菜炒一下就很甜。 Gāolícài chǎo yīxià jiù hěn tián.	Stir-fry cabbage briefly and it gets sweet.
大白菜	dàbáicài	Napa cabbage	火鍋一定要加大白菜。 Huǒguō yīdìng yào jiā dàbáicài.	Hot pot must include Napa cabbage.
小白菜	xiǎobáicài	baby bok choy	小白菜汆燙一下就很好吃。 Xiǎobáicài cuāntàng yīxià jiù hěn hǎochī.	Baby bok choy is tasty with a quick blanch.
青江菜	qīngjiāngcài	bok choy (Taiwan common)	我想點一份蒜炒青江菜。 Wǒ xiǎng diǎn yī fèn suàn chǎo qīngjiāngcài.	I want to order garlic stir-fried bok choy.
菜心	càixīn	choy sum	清炒菜心很清爽。 Qīngchǎo càixīn hěn qīngshuǎng.	Lightly stir-fried choy sum is refreshing.
空心菜	kōngxīncài	water spinach	空心菜配蒜頭最對味。 Kōngxīncài pèi suàntóu zuì duìwèi.	Water spinach tastes best with garlic.
地瓜葉	dìguāyè	sweet potato leaves	地瓜葉很嫩，也很便宜。 Dìguāyè hěn nèn, yě hěn piányí.	Sweet potato leaves are tender and cheap.
芥藍	jièlán	Chinese kale	芥藍有一點苦，但很香。 Jièlán yǒu yīdiǎn kǔ, dàn hěn xiāng.	Chinese kale is a bit bitter, but fragrant.
油菜	yóucài	rapeseed greens	油菜煮湯也很好喝。 Yóucài zhǔ tāng yě hěn hǎohē.	Rapeseed greens also make a nice soup.
芥菜	jiècài	mustard greens	芥菜湯很有家裡的味道。 Jiècài tāng hěn yǒu jiālǐ de wèidào.	Mustard green soup tastes like home.
茼蒿	tónghāo	crown daisy	火鍋裡的茼蒿特別香。 Huǒguō lǐ de tónghāo tèbié xiāng.	Crown daisy in hot pot is extra fragrant.
莧菜	xiàncài	amaranth greens	莧菜汆燙後顏色很漂亮。 Xiàncài cuāntàng hòu yánsè hěn piàoliang.	Amaranth greens look beautiful after blanching.
羽衣甘藍	yǔyī gānlán	kale	羽衣甘藍可以做沙拉。 Yǔyī gānlán kěyǐ zuò shālà.	Kale can be used for salads.
生菜	shēngcài	lettuce (general)	我想要多一點生菜。 Wǒ xiǎng yào duō yīdiǎn shēngcài.	I’d like a bit more lettuce.
萵苣	wōjù	lettuce (more formal)	這種萵苣很脆。 Zhè zhǒng wōjù hěn cuì.	This type of lettuce is very crisp.
羅馬生菜	luómǎ shēngcài	romaine lettuce	羅馬生菜適合做凱薩沙拉。 Luómǎ shēngcài shìhé zuò kǎisà shālà.	Romaine is great for Caesar salad.
油麥菜	yóumàicài	celtuce/lettuce greens (common in Taiwan)	油麥菜清炒就很好吃。 Yóumàicài qīngchǎo jiù hěn hǎochī.	Oil麦菜 tastes great with a simple stir-fry.
芹菜	qíncài	celery	芹菜炒豆干很香。 Qíncài chǎo dòugān hěn xiāng.	Celery stir-fried with dried tofu is fragrant.
香菜	xiāngcài	cilantro	我喜歡加香菜提味。 Wǒ xǐhuān jiā xiāngcài tíwèi.	I like adding cilantro for extra flavor.
九層塔	jiǔcéngtǎ	Taiwan basil	九層塔炒蛋很下飯。 Jiǔcéngtǎ chǎo dàn hěn xiàfàn.	Basil-and-egg stir-fry goes perfectly with rice.
紫蘇	zǐsū	perilla	紫蘇有一種特別的香味。 Zǐsū yǒu yī zhǒng tèbié de xiāngwèi.	Perilla has a very distinctive aroma.
韭菜	jiǔcài	Chinese chives	韭菜盒子裡面很多韭菜。 Jiǔcài hézi lǐmiàn hěn duō jiǔcài.	Chive pockets have lots of chives inside.
韭黃	jiǔhuáng	yellow chives	韭黃炒牛肉很香。 Jiǔhuáng chǎo niúròu hěn xiāng.	Yellow chives stir-fried with beef smell amazing.
蒜苗	suànmiáo	garlic shoots	蒜苗炒臘肉很經典。 Suànmiáo chǎo làròu hěn jīngdiǎn.	Garlic shoots with cured pork is a classic combo.

Roots, bulbs, and tubers

Traditional Chinese	Pinyin	Meaning (EN)	Example (ZH + pinyin)	Translation (EN)
白蘿蔔	báiluóbo	daikon radish	白蘿蔔煮湯很清甜。 Báiluóbo zhǔ tāng hěn qīngtián.	Daikon soup tastes light and sweet.
紅蘿蔔	hóngluóbo	carrot (also said instead of 胡蘿蔔)	沙拉裡加一點紅蘿蔔絲。 Shālà lǐ jiā yīdiǎn hóngluóbo sī.	Add a bit of shredded carrot to the salad.
洋蔥	yángcōng	onion	洋蔥炒到透明就很甜。 Yángcōng chǎo dào tòumíng jiù hěn tián.	Cook onions until translucent and they get sweet.
紫洋蔥	zǐyángcōng	red onion	紫洋蔥配沙拉很好看。 Zǐyángcōng pèi shālà hěn hǎokàn.	Red onion looks great in salads.
蒜頭	suàntóu	garlic	蒜頭切碎比較香。 Suàntóu qiē suì bǐjiào xiāng.	Chopped garlic is more fragrant.
薑	jiāng	ginger	天冷的時候喝薑湯很舒服。 Tiān lěng de shíhou hē jiāng tāng hěn shūfú.	Ginger soup feels great when it’s cold.
蔥	cōng	scallion (generic)	我喜歡最後撒一點蔥花。 Wǒ xǐhuān zuìhòu sā yīdiǎn cōnghuā.	I like sprinkling some chopped scallion at the end.
青蔥	qīngcōng	green onion (common word)	青蔥蛋餅很好吃。 Qīngcōng dànbǐng hěn hǎochī.	Scallion egg crepes are delicious.
大蔥	dàcōng	leek / large scallion	大蔥炒牛肉很香。 Dàcōng chǎo niúròu hěn xiāng.	Leek stir-fried with beef is fragrant.
地瓜	dìguā	sweet potato	烤地瓜很甜，也很飽。 Kǎo dìguā hěn tián, yě hěn bǎo.	Roasted sweet potato is sweet and filling.
番薯	fānshǔ	sweet potato (another common word)	這個番薯煮起來很綿。 Zhège fānshǔ zhǔ qǐlái hěn mián.	This sweet potato cooks up soft and fluffy.
牛蒡	niúbàng	burdock	牛蒡切片煮湯很香。 Niúbàng qiē piàn zhǔ tāng hěn xiāng.	Sliced burdock makes a fragrant soup.
蓮藕	lián’ǒu	lotus root	蓮藕很脆，適合涼拌。 Lián’ǒu hěn cuì, shìhé liángbàn.	Lotus root is crisp—great for cold salad dishes.
芋頭	yùtóu	taro	芋頭煮湯會變得很綿密。 Yùtóu zhǔ tāng huì biàn de hěn miánmì.	Taro turns soft and creamy in soup.
山藥	shānyào	yam / Chinese yam	山藥可以煮湯，也可以煎。 Shānyào kěyǐ zhǔ tāng, yě kěyǐ jiān.	Chinese yam can go in soup or be pan-fried.
荸薺	bíqí	water chestnut	荸薺很脆，咬起來卡滋卡滋。 Bíqí hěn cuì, yǎo qǐlái kǎzī kǎzī.	Water chestnuts are super crunchy.
甜菜根	tiáncàigēn	beetroot	甜菜根可以做沙拉，顏色很美。 Tiáncàigēn kěyǐ zuò shālà, yánsè hěn měi.	Beetroot works in salads—beautiful color.
蕪菁	wújīng	turnip	蕪菁煮軟後很甜。 Wújīng zhǔ ruǎn hòu hěn tián.	Turnip becomes sweet once cooked soft.

Gourds and squash

Traditional Chinese	Pinyin	Meaning (EN)	Example (ZH + pinyin)	Translation (EN)
南瓜	nánguā	pumpkin / squash	南瓜煮粥很香很甜。 Nánguā zhǔ zhōu hěn xiāng hěn tián.	Pumpkin porridge is fragrant and sweet.
冬瓜	dōngguā	winter melon	冬瓜湯很清爽。 Dōngguā tāng hěn qīngshuǎng.	Winter melon soup is light and refreshing.
苦瓜	kǔguā	bitter melon	苦瓜真的苦，但很有味道。 Kǔguā zhēn de kǔ, dàn hěn yǒu wèidào.	Bitter melon is truly bitter, but full of flavor.
絲瓜	sīguā	loofah gourd	絲瓜煮起來很嫩。 Sīguā zhǔ qǐlái hěn nèn.	Loofah gourd cooks up very tender.
櫛瓜	zhìguā	zucchini	櫛瓜煎一煎就很好吃。 Zhìguā jiān yī jiān jiù hěn hǎochī.	Zucchini tastes great with a quick pan-fry.
瓠瓜	hùguā	bottle gourd	瓠瓜炒蛋很家常。 Hùguā chǎo dàn hěn jiācháng.	Bottle gourd with egg is a home-style dish.
佛手瓜	fóshǒuguā	chayote	佛手瓜口感很脆。 Fóshǒuguā kǒugǎn hěn cuì.	Chayote has a crisp texture.

Beans, pods, and sprouts

Traditional Chinese	Pinyin	Meaning (EN)	Example (ZH + pinyin)	Translation (EN)
四季豆	sìjìdòu	green beans	四季豆要炒熟一點比較安全。 Sìjìdòu yào chǎo shú yīdiǎn bǐjiào ānquán.	Green beans should be cooked thoroughly for safety.
豆角	dòujiǎo	yardlong beans	豆角切段比較好炒。 Dòujiǎo qiē duàn bǐjiào hǎo chǎo.	Cut yardlong beans into segments for easier stir-fry.
甜豆	tiándòu	sugar snap peas	甜豆炒一下就很脆。 Tiándòu chǎo yīxià jiù hěn cuì.	Snap peas stay crisp with a quick stir-fry.
荷蘭豆	hélándòu	snow peas	荷蘭豆配紅蘿蔔很好看。 Hélándòu pèi hóngluóbo hěn hǎokàn.	Snow peas with carrot look great together.
豌豆	wāndòu	peas	豌豆煮湯很甜。 Wāndòu zhǔ tāng hěn tián.	Pea soup tastes sweet.
毛豆	máodòu	edamame	毛豆撒一點鹽就很好吃。 Máodòu sā yīdiǎn yán jiù hěn hǎochī.	Edamame is great with just a sprinkle of salt.
扁豆	biǎndòu	hyacinth beans	扁豆燉煮會更入味。 Biǎndòu dùnzhǔ huì gèng rùwèi.	Hyacinth beans taste better when stewed.
豆芽	dòuyá	bean sprouts	炒麵裡加豆芽很爽脆。 Chǎomiàn lǐ jiā dòuyá hěn shuǎngcuì.	Bean sprouts make fried noodles extra crunchy.
綠豆芽	lǜdòuyá	mung bean sprouts	綠豆芽比較細，也很脆。 Lǜdòuyá bǐjiào xì, yě hěn cuì.	Mung bean sprouts are thinner and very crisp.
黃豆芽	huángdòuyá	soybean sprouts	黃豆芽比較粗，口感更有嚼勁。 Huángdòuyá bǐjiào cū, kǒugǎn gèng yǒu jiáojìn.	Soybean sprouts are thicker and chewier.
豆苗	dòumiáo	pea shoots	豆苗很嫩，炒一下就好。 Dòumiáo hěn nèn, chǎo yīxià jiù hǎo.	Pea shoots are tender—quick stir-fry is enough.

Cruciferous veggies, stalks, and “I’m trying to be healthy” things

Traditional Chinese	Pinyin	Meaning (EN)	Example (ZH + pinyin)	Translation (EN)
白花椰菜	báihuāyēcài	cauliflower	白花椰菜汆燙後很甜。 Báihuāyēcài cuāntàng hòu hěn tián.	Cauliflower tastes sweet after blanching.
花椰菜	huāyēcài	cauliflower (common shorthand)	我想要一份蒜炒花椰菜。 Wǒ xiǎng yào yī fèn suàn chǎo huāyēcài.	I want an order of garlic cauliflower.
西蘭花	xīlánhuā	broccoli (also seen on some menus)	西蘭花和青花菜是同一種嗎？ Xīlánhuā hé qīnghuācài shì tóng yī zhǒng ma?	Are “xīlánhuā” and “qīnghuācài” the same?
抱子甘藍	bàozǐ gānlán	Brussels sprouts	抱子甘藍烤起來很香。 Bàozǐ gānlán kǎo qǐlái hěn xiāng.	Roasted Brussels sprouts smell amazing.
蘆筍	lúsǔn	asparagus	蘆筍煎一煎就很好吃。 Lúsǔn jiān yī jiān jiù hěn hǎochī.	Asparagus is great with a quick pan-sear.
竹筍	zhúsǔn	bamboo shoots	竹筍很脆，適合炒肉。 Zhúsǔn hěn cuì, shìhé chǎo ròu.	Bamboo shoots are crisp—great with stir-fried meat.
茭白筍	jiāobáisǔn	water bamboo	茭白筍炒起來很甜。 Jiāobáisǔn chǎo qǐlái hěn tián.	Water bamboo tastes sweet when stir-fried.
秋葵	qiūkuí	okra	秋葵有一點黏黏的口感。 Qiūkuí yǒu yīdiǎn nián nián de kǒugǎn.	Okra has a slightly sticky texture.
玉米	yùmǐ	corn	玉米很甜，小朋友很愛。 Yùmǐ hěn tián, xiǎopéngyǒu hěn ài.	Corn is sweet—kids love it.

“Fruit veggies” (you know, the ones that confuse everyone)

Traditional Chinese	Pinyin	Meaning (EN)	Example (ZH + pinyin)	Translation (EN)
茄子	qiézi	eggplant	茄子很吸醬汁，所以很下飯。 Qiézi hěn xī jiàngzhī, suǒyǐ hěn xiàfàn.	Eggplant soaks up sauce, so it’s great with rice.
青椒	qīngjiāo	green bell pepper	青椒炒牛肉很常見。 Qīngjiāo chǎo niúròu hěn chángjiàn.	Green pepper stir-fried with beef is common.
彩椒	cǎijiāo	bell peppers (mixed colors)	彩椒顏色很漂亮，也很甜。 Cǎijiāo yánsè hěn piàoliang, yě hěn tián.	Bell peppers look pretty and taste sweet.
甜椒	tiánjiāo	sweet bell pepper	我不吃辣，所以選甜椒。 Wǒ bù chī là, suǒyǐ xuǎn tiánjiāo.	I don’t eat spicy, so I choose sweet peppers.
辣椒	làjiāo	chili pepper	這個辣椒很辣，小心一點。 Zhège làjiāo hěn là, xiǎoxīn yīdiǎn.	This chili is very spicy—be careful.
櫻桃番茄	yīngtáo fānqié	cherry tomatoes	櫻桃番茄很甜，直接吃也可以。 Yīngtáo fānqié hěn tián, zhíjiē chī yě kěyǐ.	Cherry tomatoes are sweet—you can eat them as-is.

Mushrooms (not plants, but they live on the veggie shelf)

Traditional Chinese	Pinyin	Meaning (EN)	Example (ZH + pinyin)	Translation (EN)
香菇	xiānggū	shiitake mushroom	香菇煮湯味道很濃。 Xiānggū zhǔ tāng wèidào hěn nóng.	Shiitake makes soup taste rich.
金針菇	jīnzhēnggū	enoki mushrooms	金針菇很適合火鍋。 Jīnzhēnggū hěn shìhé huǒguō.	Enoki mushrooms are perfect for hot pot.
杏鮑菇	xìngbàogū	king oyster mushroom	杏鮑菇煎到金黃很香。 Xìngbàogū jiān dào jīnhuáng hěn xiāng.	King oyster mushrooms smell great when browned.
鴻喜菇	hóngxǐgū	shimeji mushrooms	鴻喜菇炒起來很有口感。 Hóngxǐgū chǎo qǐlái hěn yǒu kǒugǎn.	Shimeji mushrooms have a nice bite when stir-fried.
秀珍菇	xiùzhēnggū	oyster mushrooms (common label)	秀珍菇炒蒜頭很香。 Xiùzhēnggū chǎo suàntóu hěn xiāng.	Oyster mushrooms with garlic are fragrant.
平菇	pínggū	oyster mushrooms (another term)	平菇很適合煮麵。 Pínggū hěn shìhé zhǔ miàn.	Oyster mushrooms are great in noodle soups.
木耳	mù’ěr	wood ear mushroom	木耳口感脆，很適合涼拌。 Mù’ěr kǒugǎn cuì, hěn shìhé liángbàn.	Wood ear is crunchy—great for cold dishes.
蘑菇	mógū	mushrooms (general)	我想買一些蘑菇做義大利麵。 Wǒ xiǎng mǎi yīxiē mógu zuò yìdàlìmiàn.	I want to buy some mushrooms for pasta.
洋菇	yánggū	button mushrooms	洋菇切片煎一煎很香。 Yánggū qiē piàn jiān yī jiān hěn xiāng.	Sliced button mushrooms smell great when pan-fried.

Taiwan market specials (you’ll actually see these)

Traditional Chinese	Pinyin	Meaning (EN)	Example (ZH + pinyin)	Translation (EN)
龍鬚菜	lóngxūcài	chayote shoots	龍鬚菜清炒就很脆。 Lóngxūcài qīngchǎo jiù hěn cuì.	Chayote shoots are crisp with a simple stir-fry.
山蘇	shānsū	bird’s nest fern (edible fern)	山蘇炒蒜頭很香。 Shānsū chǎo suàntóu hěn xiāng.	Fern stir-fried with garlic smells amazing.
過貓	guòmāo	vegetable fern (common in Taiwan)	過貓常常用涼拌的方式吃。 Guòmāo chángcháng yòng liángbàn de fāngshì chī.	This fern is often eaten as a cold salad dish.
紫高麗菜	zǐ gāolícài	red cabbage	紫高麗菜做沙拉顏色很漂亮。 Zǐ gāolícài zuò shālà yánsè hěn piàoliang.	Red cabbage makes salads look beautiful.

Variants & measure words you’ll hear a lot

Sound natural at markets Order without awkward hand gestures Yes, “a bunch” has a measure word

Traditional Chinese	Pinyin	Meaning (EN)	How it’s used
一把	yī bǎ	a bunch / a handful	Leafy greens: 一把菠菜 / 一把地瓜葉
一顆	yī kē	one piece (round-ish)	Potatoes, onions, tomatoes: 一顆洋蔥 / 兩顆馬鈴薯
一根	yī gēn	one stick	Carrots, cucumbers, asparagus: 一根胡蘿蔔 / 一根蘆筍
一朵	yī duǒ	one floret	Broccoli/cauliflower florets: 一朵花椰菜
一斤	yī jīn	one “jin” (weight unit)	Market pricing: 多少錢一斤？
紅蘿蔔／胡蘿蔔	hóngluóbo / húluóbo	both mean “carrot”	You’ll hear both; pick one and be consistent
青花菜／西蘭花	qīnghuācài / xīlánhuā	both can mean “broccoli”	Taiwan menus often use 青花菜; 西蘭花 also appears

Yak Snark: If you forget the exact veggie name, “這個” + point + “多少錢？” will still get you fed. Language learning is about progress, not perfection (and also about not buying mystery produce by accident).