蕹菜

Chinese

	water spinach	dish (type of food); vegetables
trad. (蕹菜)	蕹	菜
simp. ^#(蕹菜)	蕹	菜
alternative forms	蓊菜應菜／应菜 Min Nan

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): wèngcài, yōngcài

(Zhuyin): ㄨㄥˋ ㄘㄞˋ, ㄩㄥㄘㄞˋ

(Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): ong⁴ cai⁴
Cantonese
(Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): ung³ coi³ / ong³ coi³

(Taishan, Wiktionary): uung¹ toi¹
Gan (Wiktionary): ng⁴ cai
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): vung-chhoi / fung-chhoi

(Hailu, HRS): vung^ˇ coi^ˇ

(Meixian, Guangdong): vung⁴ coi⁴

(Changting, Changting Pinyin): vong⁴ cue⁴
Eastern Min (BUC): óng-chái
Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): orng⁴ cai⁴
Southern Min
(Hokkien, POJ): èng-chhài

(Teochew, Peng'im): êng³ cai³
Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ¹on-tshe
Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): ngong⁴ cai⁴

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese, Mainland)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: wèngcài
  - Zhuyin: ㄨㄥˋ ㄘㄞˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: wòngcài
  - Wade–Giles: wêng⁴-tsʻai⁴
  - Yale: wèng-tsài
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: wenqtsay
  - Palladius: вэнцай (vɛncaj)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /wəŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡sʰaɪ̯⁵¹/
- (Standard Chinese, Taiwan)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: yōngcài
  - Zhuyin: ㄩㄥㄘㄞˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: yongcài
  - Wade–Giles: yung¹-tsʻai⁴
  - Yale: yūng-tsài
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: iongtsay
  - Palladius: юнцай (juncaj)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /jʊŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰaɪ̯⁵¹/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: ong⁴ cai⁴
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: wengcai
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /oŋ²¹³ t͡sʰai²¹³/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: ung³ coi³ / ong³ coi³
  - Yale: ung choi / ong choi
  - Cantonese Pinyin: ung³ tsoi³ / ong³ tsoi³
  - Guangdong Romanization: ung³ coi³ / ong³ coi³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʊŋ³³ t͡sʰɔːi̯³³/, /ɔːŋ³³ t͡sʰɔːi̯³³/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: uung¹ toi¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɵŋ³³ tʰᵘɔi³³/
Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary: ng⁴ cai
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋ̍³⁵ t͡sʰai²/
Hakka
- (Northern Sixian, incl. Miaoli)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: vung-chhoi
  - Hakka Romanization System: vung coi
  - Hagfa Pinyim: vung⁴ coi⁴
  - Sinological IPA: /vuŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰoi̯⁵⁵/
- (Southern Sixian, incl. Neipu)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: vung-chhoi / fung-chhoi
  - Hakka Romanization System: vung coi / fung coi
  - Hagfa Pinyim: vung⁴ coi⁴ / fung⁴ coi⁴
  - Sinological IPA: /vuŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰoi̯⁵⁵/, /fuŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰoi̯⁵⁵/
- (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
  - Hakka Romanization System: vung^ˇ coi^ˇ
  - Sinological IPA: /vuŋ¹¹ t͡sʰoi¹¹/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: vung⁴ coi⁴
  - Sinological IPA: /ʋʊŋ⁵³⁻⁵⁵ t͡sʰoɪ⁵³/
- (Changting)
  - Changting Pinyin: vong⁴ cue⁴
  - Sinological IPA: /voŋ⁵⁴ t͡sʰue⁵⁴/
Eastern Min
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: óng-chái
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /uŋ²¹³⁻⁵³ ^(t͡sʰ-)ʒɑi²¹³/
Puxian Min
- (Putian, Xianyou)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing: orng⁴ cai⁴ [Phonetic: orng¹ nai⁴]
  - Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: o̤̍ng-cha̍i
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɒŋ⁴²⁻⁵⁵ ^(t͡sʰ-)nai⁴²/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Tong'an, General Taiwanese, Penang, Singapore, Philippines)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: èng-chhài
  - Tâi-lô: ìng-tshài
  - Phofsit Daibuun: eangzhaix
  - IPA (Taipei): /iɪŋ¹¹⁻⁵³ t͡sʰai¹¹/
  - IPA (Singapore): /eŋ²¹⁻⁴² t͡sʰai²¹/
  - IPA (Tong'an): /iɪŋ¹¹²⁻⁴² t͡sʰai¹¹²/
  - IPA (Penang): /eŋ²¹⁻³³ t͡sʰai²¹/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /iɪŋ²¹⁻⁴¹ t͡sʰai²¹/
  - IPA (Quanzhou, Philippines): /iɪŋ⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ t͡sʰai⁴¹/
  - IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /iɪŋ²¹⁻⁵³ t͡sʰai²¹/
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: êng³ cai³
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: èng tshài
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /eŋ²¹³⁻⁵⁵ t͡sʰai²¹³/
Wu
- (Northern: Shanghai)
  - Wugniu: ¹on-tshe
  - MiniDict: on^平 tshe
  - Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹on-tshe
  - Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /oŋ⁵⁵ t͡sʰe²¹/
Xiang
- (Changsha)
  - Wiktionary: ngong⁴ cai⁴
  - Sinological IPA ^(key) (old-style): /ŋʊŋ⁴⁵ t͡sʰai̯⁴⁵/
  - Sinological IPA ^(key) (new-style): /ŋən⁴⁵ t͡sʰai̯⁴⁵/

Noun

蕹菜

water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica)

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 空心菜 (“water spinach”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		蕹菜
Taxonomic name		蕹菜
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	空心菜
	Taiwan	空心菜
	Harbin	空心菜
	Singapore	空心菜
Jilu Mandarin	Jinan	空心菜
Central Plains Mandarin	Xuzhou	空心菜
Lanyin Mandarin	Yinchuan	空心菜
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	蕹菜, 空心菜
	Guiyang	藤藤菜, 空茼菜
	Liuzhou	蕹菜, 空心菜
	Nanning (Wuming)	蕹菜, 空心菜
Jianghuai Mandarin	Nanjing	空心菜, 蕹菜, 藤藤菜 dated
	Yangzhou	空心菜
	Nantong	空心菜
Cantonese	Guangzhou	蕹菜, 通菜, 通心菜, 抽筋菜
	Hong Kong	蕹菜, 通菜, 抽筋菜
	Hong Kong (San Tin; Weitou)	蕹菜
	Taishan	蕹菜
	Kaiping (Chikan)	蕹菜
	Dongguan	蕹菜
	Nanning	蕹菜
	Nanning (Tanka)	蕹菜
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	蕹菜
Gan	Nanchang	蕹菜
	Lichuan	蕹菜
	Pingxiang	蕹菜
Hakka	Meixian	蕹菜, 空心菜
	Xingning	蕹菜
	Huidong (Daling)	蕹菜
	Shaoguan (Qujiang)	蕹菜
	Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang)	蕹菜
	Changting	蕹菜
	Wuping	蕹菜
	Wuping (Pingyu)	蕹菜
	Liancheng	蕹菜
	Ninghua	蕹菜
	Yudu	蕹菜, 空心菜
	Ruijin	蕹菜
	Shicheng	蕹菜
	Shangyou (Shexi)	蕹菜
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	蕹菜
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	蕹菜
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	蕹菜
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	蕹菜
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	蕹菜
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	蕹菜
	Hong Kong	蕹菜
	Sabah (Longchuan)	蕹菜
	Senai (Huiyang)	蕹菜
Huizhou	Jixi	空心菜
Northern Min	Jian'ou	蕹菜
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	蕹菜
	Fuqing	蕹菜
	Matsu	蕹菜
Southern Min	Xiamen	蕹菜
	Xiamen (Tong'an)	蕹菜
	Quanzhou	蕹菜
	Hui'an	竹菜
	Zhangzhou	蕹菜
	Taipei	蕹菜
	Kaohsiung	蕹菜
	Yilan	蕹菜
	Changhua (Lukang)	蕹菜
	Taichung	蕹菜
	Taichung (Wuqi)	蕹菜
	Tainan	蕹菜
	Taitung	蕹菜
	Hsinchu	蕹菜
	Penghu (Magong)	蕹菜
	Penang (Hokkien)	蕹菜
	Singapore (Hokkien)	蕹菜, kangkung
	Manila (Hokkien)	蕹菜
	Chaozhou	蕹菜
	Shantou	蕹菜
	Haifeng	蕹菜
	Johor Bahru (Teochew)	蕹菜
	Leizhou	蕹菜
	Haikou	蕹菜
Puxian Min	Putian	蕹菜
Puxian Min	Xianyou	蕹菜
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	蕹菜, 空心菜
Wu	Shanghai	蕹菜
	Shanghai (Chongming)	蕹菜
	Suzhou	蕹菜, 空心菜
	Danyang	空心菜, 藤菜
	Hangzhou	空心菜
	Ningbo	蕹菜
	Wenzhou	空心菜
	Jinhua	藤菜, 空心菜
Xiang	Changsha	蕹菜, 空心菜
Xiang	Loudi	蕹菜, 藤菜, 空心菜
Yuebei Tuhua	Shaoguan (Dacun, Baitu, Qujiang)	蕹菜
	Shaoguan (Xiangyang, Xihe, Wujiang)	蕹菜
	Shaoguan (Shibei, Xinshao, Zhenjiang)	蕹菜
	Renhua (Zhoutian)	蕹菜
	Renhua (Shitang)	蕹菜
	Ruyuan (Songwei, Guitou)	蕹菜
	Lechang (Changlai)	蕹菜
	Lechang (Beixiang)	蕹菜
	Lechang (Huangpu)	蕹菜
	Lechang (Guitang, Pingshi)	空心菜
	Lechang (Sanxi)	藤菜

Descendants

→ Kavalan: ingsay

References

“蕹菜”, in 重編國語辭典修訂本 [Revised Mandarin Chinese Dictionary] (in Chinese), National Academy for Educational Research (Taiwan), 2021.
“蕹菜”, 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.
莆田市政协文化文史和学习委员会 [Culture, History and Learning Committee of Putian CPPCC], editor (2021), “蕹菜”, in 莆仙方言大词典 [Comprehensive Dictionary of Puxian Dialect] (overall work in Mandarin and Puxian Min), Xiamen University Press, →ISBN, page 427.
“Entry #4273”, in 臺灣客語辭典 [Dictionary of Taiwan Hakka] (overall work in Chinese and Hakka), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2022.
周存 [Zhōu, Cún], editor (2023), “蕹菜”, in 长汀话词典 CHANGTINGHUA CIDIAN [Dictionary of Changting Dialect] (overall work in Hakka and Mandarin), Guangzhou: 世界图书出版有限公司 [World Book Publishing Co., Ltd.], →ISBN, page 701.

Japanese

Kanji in this term
蕹	菜
よう Hyōgai	さい Grade: 4
on'yomi

Noun

蕹(よう)菜(さい) or 蕹菜(ヨウサイ) • (yōsai)

water spinach, Ipomoea aquatica
Synonyms: 空心菜 (kūshinsai), 朝顔菜 (asagaona)

Usage notes

As with many terms that name organisms, this term is often spelled in katakana, especially in biological contexts (where katakana is customary).