Looking up...
Vegetable, greens, or leafy plants used as food
Tôi mua rau tươi ở chợ.
I bought fresh vegetables at the market.
Rau xanh rất tốt cho sức khỏe.
Leafy greens are very good for health.
Can refer to both raw and cooked vegetables, but often implies freshness.
Many Vietnamese vegetable names are compound words combining 'rau' with another word (e.g., 'rau muống', 'rau diếp').
When used alone, 'rau' often implies freshness, while cooked vegetables may be specified as 'rau luộc' (boiled vegetables).
From Proto-Vietic *ʔɟaːw (leaf, vegetable), related to modern Vietnamese 'lá' (leaf).
In Vietnamese cuisine, 'rau' often refers to vegetables used in soups, stir-fries, or fresh salads. The term can be specific to leafy greens or more general depending on context.