菜 means both 'vegetable' (蔬菜 shūcài) and 'dish/course' (a prepared food item). 点菜 means 'to order food,' 做菜 means 'to cook,' and 菜单 (càidān) means 'menu.'
culture
China's four great cuisines (四大菜系): 川菜 (Sichuan, spicy), 鲁菜 (Shandong), 粤菜 (Cantonese), and 苏菜 (Jiangsu). Each has distinct flavors and techniques.
