(かさい)

かさい
noun
fruit vegetable; vegetable grown for its fruit (e.g., tomato, cucumber, eggplant)
1. fruit vegetable; vegetable cultivated for its fruit
A category of vegetables where the edible portion is the fruit of the plant, as opposed to the leaves, roots, or stems. Examples include tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, peppers, and squash.
トマトやナスは果菜(かさい)分類(ぶんるい)される。
Tomatoes and eggplants are classified as fruit vegetables.
果菜(かさい)(るい)(なつ)(しゅん)(むか)えるものが(おお)い。
Many fruit vegetables reach their peak season in summer.
家庭菜園(かていさいえん)果菜(かさい)(そだ)てるなら、日当(ひあ)たりのよい場所(ばしょ)(えら)ぼう。
If you're growing fruit vegetables in a home garden, choose a sunny spot.

A compound of () (fruit) and (さい) (vegetable). Refers to the agricultural and botanical category of vegetables harvested for their fruit. This is a classification used in agriculture, cooking, and grocery displays.

VEGETABLE CATEGORIES:

  • 果菜(かさい): fruit vegetables — tomato, cucumber, eggplant, pepper, squash
  • 葉菜(ようさい): leaf vegetables — spinach, cabbage, lettuce
  • 根菜(こんさい): root vegetables — carrot, daikon, potato, burdock
  • 豆類(まめるい): legumes — soybeans, peas, beans

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 果菜(かさい)(るい): fruit vegetables (as a category)
  • (なつ)果菜(かさい): summer fruit vegetables
  • 果菜(かさい)栽培(さいばい)する: to cultivate fruit vegetables

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 根菜(こんさい): root vegetables — the root-based counterpart; equally common in cooking and agriculture
  • 葉菜(ようさい): leaf vegetables — the leaf-based counterpart
  • 青果(せいか): produce, fresh fruits and vegetables — a broader commercial term used in markets

NOTE:
Not to be confused with the homophone 火災(かさい) (fire, conflagration), which uses entirely different kanji.