JLPT N2 · Japanese kanji

菜

菜 — vegetable

Reading
サイ・な
Meaning
vegetable; side dish; greens
JLPT level
N2
Language
Japanese

About this kanji

菜 is a japanese kanji character commonly studied at the JLPT N2 level. Its primary reading is サイ・な and it means vegetable; side dish; greens. To master it, see it in real Japanese content — import an article or YouTube video into InputDojo and every occurrence becomes a one-tap lookup.

菜 appears in everyday japanese words such as お菜 (side dish) and 野菜 (vegetable).

Japanese words containing 菜

Frequently asked questions

What does 菜 mean in Japanese?

菜 means vegetable; side dish; greens in Japanese. It is one of the JLPT N2 kanji every learner meets at that level.

How is 菜 read?

菜 is read サイ・な. Reading it inside real words — お菜 and 野菜 — is the fastest way to remember it.

What level is 菜 — is it JLPT N2?

Yes. 菜 is on the official JLPT N2 kanji list, so it can appear in that exam's reading and vocabulary sections.

How do you use 菜 in a word?

A common word containing 菜 is お菜 (おかず) — "side dish". More examples are listed below, each with a one-tap dictionary entry.

How do I learn 菜 effectively?

Read it in context. Import any Japanese article or video into InputDojo and every occurrence of 菜 becomes a one-tap lookup with SRS flashcards, so you meet it in real sentences instead of a list.

More JLPT N2 kanji

Learn every JLPT kanji in context

InputDojo gives you the full JLPT N5–N1 kanji list — plus one-tap lookups in any real Japanese content. Free to start.

Start free