1.
leafy greens; leafy vegetables
A general, somewhat casual term for any leafy green vegetable such as spinach, komatsuna, or bok choy. Used in everyday cooking and conversation rather than in formal or scientific contexts.
菜っ葉を茹でる。
Boil the leafy greens.
冷蔵庫に菜っ葉が残っている。
There are some leafy greens left in the fridge.
子供が菜っ葉を食べたがらないので、細かく刻んで料理に混ぜた。
Since the child didn't want to eat leafy greens, I chopped them up fine and mixed them into the dish.
A casual, everyday word for leafy green vegetables. The term covers a wide range of greens including 小松菜, 法蓮草, 青梗菜, and similar vegetables. It has a homey, kitchen-table feel and is more informal than the precise vegetable name or the botanical term 葉菜.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 菜っ葉を茹でる: to boil leafy greens
- 菜っ葉を炒める: to stir-fry leafy greens
- 菜っ葉類: leafy greens (as a category)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 葉菜: leaf vegetables — the formal/agricultural term for the same category
- 青菜: green leafy vegetables — slightly more specific, emphasizing the green color
- 葉物: leafy produce — a market/grocery term for leaf vegetables
NOTE:
Often written in hiragana as なっぱ in casual contexts. The word has a warm, colloquial tone and is especially common in home cooking conversations.