山菜(さんさい)

さんさい
noun
wild mountain vegetables
foodnature
1. wild mountain vegetables, edible wild plants
Edible plants that grow wild in the mountains and fields. Gathering and eating them is a traditional seasonal activity in Japan, especially in spring.
春(はる)に山菜(さんさい)を採(と)る。
To gather wild vegetables in spring.
天(てん)ぷらにした山菜(さんさい)はとても美味(おい)しい。
Wild mountain vegetables made into tempura are very delicious.
祖母(そぼ)は毎年(まいとし)春(はる)になると山(やま)に入(はい)って山菜(さんさい)を採(と)り、近所(きんじょ)の人(ひと)にも分(わ)けてくれる。
Every spring, my grandmother goes into the mountains to gather wild vegetables and shares them with the neighbors.

Common patterns

山(さん) (mountain) + 菜(さい) (vegetable, greens).

Usage

山菜(さんさい) refers to a broad category of wild edible plants harvested from mountains and forests. Gathering them (山菜(さんさい)採(と)り) is a popular seasonal activity in spring. Common varieties include 蕨(わらび) (bracken fern), 蕗(ふき) (butterbur), and たらの芽(め) (aralia sprouts). Many require preparation such as removing bitterness (灰汁(あく)抜(ぬ)き) before eating.

Common collocations

  • 山菜(さんさい)採(と)り: gathering wild vegetables
  • 山菜(さんさい)の天(てん)ぷら: tempura of wild vegetables
  • 山菜(さんさい)そば: soba noodles with wild vegetables
  • 山菜(さんさい)料理(りょうり): wild vegetable cuisine

Related Words

Related: 野草(やそう) (wild plant (general))
general
Added 2026.2.21 15:12 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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