野菜

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 野菜 is read as やさい and means vegetables cultivated for their edible leaves, stems, roots, fruits, or other parts.
• Basic usage: Use 新鮮な野菜 for fresh vegetables and 庭で野菜を育てる for growing vegetables in a yard or garden.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Difference between 野菜 and 果物
  • The former covers vegetables commonly used as meal ingredients, whereas the latter covers fruits commonly eaten for their sweet flesh.