韭菜

Chinese

	leek	dish (type of food); vegetables
trad. (韭菜)	韭	菜
simp. ^#(韭菜)	韭	菜
alternative forms	韮菜

Etymology

The neologism sense comes from the fact that garlic chives are able to regrow after their part above the ground is cut off.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): jiǔcài

(Zhuyin): ㄐㄧㄡˇ ㄘㄞˋ

(Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): jiu³ cai⁴

(Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): jiùcai

(Nanjing, Nanjing Pinyin): jiǔcāi
Cantonese
(Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): gau² coi³

(Dongguan, Jyutping++): gaau² cui³

(Taishan, Wiktionary): giu² toi^1-4
Gan (Wiktionary): jiu³ cai
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): kiú-chhoi

(Hailu, HRS): giu^ˊ coi^ˇ

(Meixian, Guangdong): giu³ coi⁴
Jin (Wiktionary): jiou² cai³
Eastern Min (BUC): giū-chái
Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): gu³ cai⁴
Southern Min
(Hokkien, POJ): kú-chhài

(Teochew, Peng'im): gu² cai³
Southern Pinghua (Nanning, Jyutping++): gau² caai³
Wu (Wugniu)
- (Northern): ⁵cieu-tshe₅ / ⁵ciu-tshae₅ / ³cieu-tshai₅ / ³cieu-tshe₅ / ³cieu-tshae₅
- (Jinhua): ³cieu-tshae₅
Xiang
(Changsha, Wiktionary): jiou³ cai⁴

(Loudi, Wiktionary): jiou³ ce^4*

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)
  - Hanyu Pinyin: jiǔcài
  - Zhuyin: ㄐㄧㄡˇ ㄘㄞˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: jiǒucài
  - Wade–Giles: chiu³-tsʻai⁴
  - Yale: jyǒu-tsài
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jeoutsay
  - Palladius: цзюцай (czjucaj)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡sʰaɪ̯⁵¹/
  - Homophones:
    [Show/Hide]
    ^edit
    ^edit
    酒菜
    韭菜
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: jiu³ cai⁴
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: giucai
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕiəu⁵³ t͡sʰai²¹³/
- (Xi'an)
  - Guanzhong Pinyin: jiùcai
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕiɤu⁵³ t͡sʰæ/
- (Nanjing)
  - Nanjing Pinyin: jiǔcāi
  - Nanjing Pinyin (numbered): jiu³ cai⁴
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕiəɯ¹¹ t͡sʰɛ⁴⁴/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: gau² coi³
  - Yale: gáu choi
  - Cantonese Pinyin: gau² tsoi³
  - Guangdong Romanization: geo² coi³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɐu̯³⁵ t͡sʰɔːi̯³³/
- (Dongguan, Guancheng)
  - Jyutping++: gaau² cui³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kau³⁵ t͡sʰui³²/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: giu² toi^1-4
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kiu⁵⁵ tʰᵘɔi³³⁻²¹/
Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary: jiu³ cai
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕiu²¹³⁻²¹ t͡sʰai¹/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: kiú-chhoi
  - Hakka Romanization System: giu^ˋ coi
  - Hagfa Pinyim: giu³ coi⁴
  - Sinological IPA: /ki̯u³¹ t͡sʰoi̯⁵⁵/
- (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
  - Hakka Romanization System: giu^ˊ coi^ˇ
  - Sinological IPA: /kiu²⁴⁻³³ t͡sʰoi¹¹/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: giu³ coi⁴
  - Sinological IPA: /kiu³¹ t͡sʰoɪ⁵³/
Jin
- (Taiyuan)⁺
  - Wiktionary: jiou² cai³
  - Sinological IPA (old-style): /t͡ɕiəu⁵³ t͡sʰai⁴⁵/
Eastern Min
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: giū-chái
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kieu³³⁻⁵⁵ ^(t͡sʰ-)ʒɑi²¹³/
Puxian Min
- (Putian, Jiangkou, Nanri)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing: gu³ cai⁴ [Phonetic: gu⁵ lai⁴]
  - Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: gû-cha̍i
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ku⁴⁵³⁻¹¹ ^(t͡sʰ-)lai⁴²/
- (Xianyou, Youyang, Fengting)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing: gu³ cai⁴ [Phonetic: gu⁵ lai⁴]
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ku³³²⁻²¹ ^(t͡sʰ-)lai⁴²/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese, Singapore)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kú-chhài
  - Tâi-lô: kú-tshài
  - Phofsit Daibuun: kwzhaix
  - IPA (Taipei): /ku⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sʰai¹¹/
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /ku⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ t͡sʰai⁴¹/
  - IPA (Singapore): /ku⁴²⁻²⁴ t͡sʰai²¹/
  - IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /ku⁵³⁻⁴⁴ t͡sʰai²¹/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /ku⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ t͡sʰai²¹/
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: gu² cai³
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: kú tshài
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ku⁵²⁻³⁵ t͡sʰai²¹³/
Southern Pinghua
- (Nanning Pinghua, Tingzi)
  - Jyutping++: gau² caai³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kəu³³ t͡sʰai⁵⁵/
Wu
- (Northern: Shanghai)
  - Wugniu: ⁵cieu-tshe₅
  - MiniDict: cieu^去 tshe^去
  - Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ²jieu-tshe₂
  - Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /t͡ɕiɤ³³ t͡sʰe⁴⁴/
- (Northern: Jiading)
  - Wugniu: ⁵ciu-tshae₅
  - MiniDict: ciu^去 tshae^去
  - Sinological IPA (Jiading): /t͡ɕy⁴⁴ t͡sʰe⁴⁴/
- (Northern: Chongming)
  - Wugniu: ³cieu-tshai₅
  - MiniDict: cieu^上 tshai^去
  - Sinological IPA (Chongming): /t͡ɕiɵ⁴² t͡sʰɛ³³/
- (Northern: Songjiang, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Ningbo)
  - Wugniu: ³cieu-tshe₅
  - MiniDict: cieu^上 tshe^去
  - MiniDict: ciu^上 tshe^去
  - Sinological IPA (Songjiang): /ciɯ⁴⁴ t͡sʰe⁴⁴/
  - Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /t͡ɕʏ⁵² t͡sʰe¹¹/
  - Sinological IPA (Hangzhou): /t͡ɕiø⁵⁵ t͡sʰɛ²¹/
  - Sinological IPA (Ningbo): /t͡ɕiʏ³³ t͡sʰe³⁵/
- (Northern: Jiaxing)
  - Wugniu: ³cieu-tshae₅
  - MiniDict: cieu^上 tshae^去
  - Sinological IPA (Jiaxing): /t͡ɕiəu⁴⁴ t͡sʰɛ²¹/
- (Jinhua)
  - Wugniu: ³cieu-tshae₅
  - Sinological IPA (Jinhua): /t͡ɕiu⁵³ t͡sʰɛ⁵⁵/
Xiang
- (Changsha)
  - Wiktionary: jiou³ cai⁴
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕi̯əu̯⁴¹ t͡sʰai̯⁴⁵/
- (Loudi)
  - Wiktionary: jiou³ ce^4*
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕi̯ʊ⁴² ^(t͡sʰ-)d͡ze̞³⁵⁻⁵/

Noun

韭菜

garlic chive; Chinese chive; Chinese leek (Allium tuberosum)
(Mainland China, neologism, figurative, Internet slang) someone who can be repeatedly deceived and exploited, especially by the stock market or the government; dupe; shitizen
割韭菜 ― gē jiǔcài ― to reap the people
- 2021 February 10, ““割韭菜”“韭菜”用英语怎么说？”, in Zhihu‎^[1], archived from the original on 3 May 2021:
  
  我被機構投資者割韭菜了。 [MSC, trad.]
  我被机构投资者割韭菜了。 [MSC, simp.]
  Wǒ bèi jīgòu tóuzīzhě gē jiǔcài le. [Pinyin]
  I was taken advantage of by the institutional investors.

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 韭菜 (“garlic chives”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		韭
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		韭菜
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	韭菜
	Taiwan	韭菜
	Chengde	韭菜
	Hulunbuir (Hailar)	韭菜
	Heihe	韭菜
	Qiqihar	韭菜
	Harbin	韭菜
	Jiamusi	韭菜
	Baicheng	韭菜
	Changchun	韭菜
	Tonghua	韭菜
	Shenyang	韭菜
	Jinzhou	韭菜
	Malaysia	韭菜
	Singapore	韭菜
Jilu Mandarin	Tianjin	韭菜
	Tangshan	韭菜
	Cangzhou	韭菜
	Baoding	韭菜
	Shijiazhuang	韭菜
	Lijin	韭菜
	Jinan	韭菜
Jiaoliao Mandarin	Dalian	韭菜
	Dandong	韭菜
	Yantai	韭菜
	Yantai (Muping)	韭菜
	Qingdao	韭菜
	Zhucheng	韭菜
Central Plains Mandarin	Luoyang	韭菜
	Lingbao	韭菜
	Jining	韭菜
	Wanrong	韭菜
	Linfen	韭菜
	Shangqiu	韭菜
	Yuanyang	韭菜
	Zhengzhou	韭菜
	Xinyang	韭菜
	Baihe	韭菜
	Xi'an	韭菜
	Baoji	韭菜
	Tianshui	韭菜
	Xining	韭菜
	Xuzhou	韭菜
	Fuyang	韭菜
	Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan)	韭菜
Lanyin Mandarin	Yinchuan	韭菜
	Lanzhou	韭菜
	Dunhuang	韭菜
	Hami	韭菜
	Ürümqi	韭菜
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	韭菜
	Nanchong	韭菜
	Dazhou	韭菜
	Hanyuan	韭菜
	Xichang	韭菜
	Zigong	韭菜
	Chongqing	韭菜
	Wuhan	韭菜
	Yichang	韭菜
	Xiangyang	韭菜
	Tianmen	韭菜
	Guiyang	韭菜
	Zunyi	韭菜
	Bijie	韭菜
	Liping	韭菜
	Zhaotong	韭菜
	Dali	韭菜
	Kunming	韭菜
	Mengzi	韭菜
	Guilin	韭菜
	Liuzhou	韭菜, 扁菜
	Nanning (Wuming)	扁菜
	Jishou	韭菜
	Changde	韭菜
	Hanzhong	韭菜
	Dagudi (Maliba)	韭菜
	Reshuitang (Longling)	韭菜
	Mae Salong (Lancang)	韭菜
	Mae Sai (Tengchong)	韭菜
Jianghuai Mandarin	Nanjing	韭菜
	Yangzhou	韭菜
	Lianyungang	韭菜
	Lianshui	韭菜
	Nantong	韭菜
	Anqing	韭菜
	Wuhu	韭菜
	Hefei	韭菜
	Huanggang	韭菜
	Hong'an	韭菜
Cantonese	Guangzhou	韭菜
	Hong Kong	韭菜
	Hong Kong (San Tin; Weitou)	韭菜
	Hong Kong (Ting Kok)	韭菜
	Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau)	韭菜
	Macau	韭菜
	Macau (Tanka)	韭菜
	Guangzhou (Zengcheng)	韭菜
	Jiangmen (Xinhui)	韭菜
	Taishan	韭菜
	Taishan (Guanghai)	韭菜
	Dongguan	韭菜
	Yangjiang	韭菜
	Maoming (Xinpo)	韭菜
	Gaozhou	快菜
	Nanning	扁菜
	Nanning (Tanka)	扁菜
	Wuzhou	快菜
	Yulin	韭菜
	Rongxian	韭菜
	Hepu (Lianzhou)	韭菜
	Hepu (Shatian)	韭菜
	Guiping	快菜, 扁菜
	Guiping (Mule)	快菜
	Pingnan	韭菜
	Guigang (Gangcheng)	韭菜
	Guigang (Pingdong)	韭菜
	Beihai	韭菜
	Beihai (Nankang)	韭菜
	Beihai (Yingpan)	韭菜
	Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô)	韭菜
	Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà)	韭菜
	Fangchenggang (Fangcheng)	韭菜
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	韭菜
	Ipoh (Guangfu)	韭菜
	Sarikei (Xinhui)	韭菜
	Singapore (Guangfu)	韭菜
	Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu)	韭菜
	Móng Cái	快菜, 韭菜
	Mandalay (Taishan)	韭菜
	Bangkok (Guangfu)	韭菜
	Betong (Rongxian)	韭菜
Gan	Nanchang	韭菜, 快菜 dated
	Pengze	韭菜
	Lichuan	韭菜
	Pingxiang	韭菜
Hakka	Meixian	韭菜, 快菜
	Xingning	快菜
	Dabu (Xihe)	韭菜
	Guangzhou (Zhengguo, Zengcheng)	韭菜
	Zhongshan (Wuguishan)	韭菜
	Wuhua (Shuizhai)	韭菜, 快菜
	Wuhua (Huacheng)	快菜
	Wuhua (Changbu)	韭菜
	Wuhua (Mianyang)	韭菜
	Jiexi	韭菜
	Luhe	韭菜
	Nanjing (Meilin)	韭菜
	Nanjing (Tianluokeng, Shuyang)	韭菜
	Changting	韭菜
	Longyan (Yongding)	韭菜
	Longyan (Xiayang, Yongding)	韭菜
	Longyan (Gaobei, Yongding)	韭菜
	Longyan (Hukeng, Yongding)	韭菜
	Liancheng (Peitian)	韭菜
	Liancheng (Laiyuan)	韭菜
	Yudu	韭菜, 快菜 sailors
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	韭菜
	Miaoli (Gongguan; N. Sixian)	快菜
	Miaoli (Zhuolan; N. Sixian)	韭菜
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	快菜
	Pingtung (Wuluo, Ligang; S. Sixian)	快菜
	Kaohsiung (Meinong; S. Sixian)	快菜
	Kaohsiung (Shanlin; S. Sixian)	快菜
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	韭菜
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	韭菜
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	韭菜
	Miaoli (Zhuolan; Raoping)	韭菜
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	韭菜
	Hong Kong	韭菜
	Fumian (Xisha, Xinqiao)	韭菜
	Luchuan (Daqiao)	韭菜
	Luchuan (Sihe, Hengshan)	韭菜
	Bobai (Cuntou, Xintian)	韭菜, 快菜
	Beiliu (Mumian, Xilang)	韭菜
	Xingye (Gaofeng)	韭菜
	Rongxian (Xiandi)	韭菜
	Sabah (Longchuan)	韭菜
	Kuala Lumpur (Dabu)	韭菜
	Senai (Huiyang)	韭菜
	Sungai Tapang, Batu Kawa (Hepo)	快菜, 韭菜
	Singkawang	快菜
	Bangkok (Meixian)	韭菜, 快菜
	Bangkok (Fengshun)	韭菜
	Bangkok (Jiexi)	韭菜
Huizhou	Jixi	韭菜
	Shexian	韭菜
	Fuliang	韭菜
Jin	Taiyuan	韭菜
	Yangyuan	韭菜
	Datong	韭菜
	Xinzhou	韭菜
	Lüliang (Lishi)	韭菜
	Changzhi	韭菜
	Linhe	韭菜
	Jining	韭菜
	Hohhot	韭菜
	Erenhot	韭菜
	Pingshan	韭菜
	Zhangjiakou	韭菜
	Handan	韭菜
	Linzhou	韭菜
	Suide	韭菜
Northern Min	Jian'ou	韭仔
Northern Min	Wuyishan	韭仔
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	韭菜
	Fuqing	韭菜
	Matsu	韭菜
Southern Min	Xiamen	韭菜
	Quanzhou	韭菜
	Zhangzhou	韭菜
	Zhao'an	韭菜
	Taipei	韭菜
	New Taipei (Tamsui)	韭菜
	New Taipei (Sanxia)	韭菜
	New Taipei (Pingxi)	韭菜
	Kaohsiung	韭菜
	Kaohsiung (Cijin)	韭菜
	Kaohsiung (Hongmaogang, Siaogang)	韭菜
	Kaohsiung (Dalinpu, Siaogang)	韭菜
	Kaohsiung (Tianliao)	韭菜
	Yilan (Luodong)	韭菜
	Yilan (Toucheng)	韭菜
	Changhua (Yongjing)	韭菜
	Tainan (Anping)	韭菜
	Pingtung (Baoli, Checheng)	韭菜
	Kinmen	韭菜
	Kinmen (Jinsha)	韭菜
	Penghu (Magong)	韭菜
	Penghu (Xiyu)	韭菜
	Penang (Hokkien)	韭菜
	Singapore (Hokkien)	韭菜
	Manila (Hokkien)	韭菜
	Zhangping (Yongfu)	韭菜
	Datian	韭菜仔
	Pingnan (Shangdu)	韭菜
	Chaozhou	韭菜
	Bangkok (Teochew)	韭菜
	Chiang Mai (Teochew)	韭菜
	Hat Yai (Teochew)	韭菜
	Johor Bahru (Teochew)	韭菜
	Haikou	韭菜
Puxian Min	Putian	韭菜
	Putian (Donghai, Chengxiang)	韭菜
	Putian (Jiangkou, Hanjiang)	韭菜
	Putian (Nanri, Xiuyu)	韭菜
	Xianyou	韭菜
	Xianyou (Fengting)	韭菜
	Xianyou (Youyang)	韭菜
Central Min	Yong'an	韭菜
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	扁菜, 韭菜
Northern Pinghua	Guilin (Dahe)	韭菜
Wu	Shanghai	韭菜
	Shanghai (Songjiang)	韭菜
	Shanghai (Jiading)	韭菜
	Shanghai (Chongming)	韭菜
	Suzhou	韭菜
	Danyang	韭菜
	Hangzhou	韭菜
	Ningbo	韭菜
	Wenzhou	韭菜
	Jinhua	韭菜
Xiang	Changsha	韭菜
	Loudi	韭菜
	Shuangfeng	韭菜
	Quanzhou	韭菜

Derived terms

割韭菜
白韭菜
韭菜命
韭菜春
韭菜盒 (jiǔcàihé)
韭菜盒子 (jiǔcài hézi)
韭菜粿 (jiǔcàiguǒ)
韭菜花 (jiǔcàihuā)
韭菜餃 / 韭菜饺 (jiǔcàijiǎo)

Descendants

→ Burmese: ကုချိုင် (ku.hkyuing)
→ English: kuchay, kuchai, kutchay, koo chye
→ Kazakh: жұсай (jūsai)
→ Khmer: គូឆាយ (kuuchaay)
→ Malay: kucai
- Indonesian: kucai
- → Pattani Malay: کوچا / กูจา
→ Mongolian: жууцай (žuucaj)
→ Russian: джусай (džusaj)
→ Tagalog: kutsay
→ Thai: กุยช่าย (gui-châai)

References

“韭菜”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2025.
李如龙 [Li, Ru-long], 刘福铸 [Liu, Fu-zhu], 吴华英 [Wu, Hua-ying], 黄国城 [Huang, Guo-cheng] (2019) “328 韭菜”, in 莆仙方言调查报告 [Investigation Report on Puxian Dialect] (overall work in Mandarin and Puxian Min), Xiamen University Press, →ISBN, page 323.