Cai, Caī, Caí, Cái, Cǎi, Cài: 33 definitions
Introduction:
Cai means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi, Jainism, Prakrit, biology, Tamil. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
In Hinduism
Ayurveda (science of life)
Nighantu (Synonyms and Characteristics of Drugs and technical terms)
Caī in the Hindi language refers to Gajoṣaṇā, a medicinal plant identified with Piper retrofractum Vahl. or “Balinese long pepper” from the Piperaceae or ‘pepper’ family of flowering plants, according to verse 6.14-15 of the 13th-century Raj Nighantu or Rājanighaṇṭu. The sixth chapter (pippalyādi-varga) of this book enumerates ninety-five varieties of plants obtained from the market (paṇyauṣadhi). Other than the Hindi word Caī, there are more synonyms identified for this plant among which ten are in Sanskrit.

Āyurveda (आयुर्वेद, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of Āyurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.
In Buddhism
Chinese Buddhism
1) 財 [cai]—vasu; artha. Wealth, riches.
2) 採 [cai]—To pick, gather, choose.
3) 采 [cai]—Vegetables.
4) 蔡 [cai]—chāyā, a shadow, reflection; gnomon, dial.
[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]
蔡 [cai]—(Cài) — [Miscellaneous term] It refers to measuring time with a sundial (日晷 [ri gui]). The Sande Zhigui states: "The Nalanda monk Jixiang Yue said: In the Western Regions, a gnomon is erected to measure the shadow (影 [ying]). The shadow (影 [ying]) in Sanskrit (梵 [fan]) is called (Cài), which here (in Chinese) means shadow (影 [ying]). When facing the 'Cai' (shadow) and moving westward, one steps forward and backward with their feet, counting the steps of the shadow (影 [ying])."
蔡—【雜名】量日晷也。三德指歸曰:「那爛陀僧吉祥月云:西域立表量影,影梵云蔡,此云影。朝蔡倒西去,便以腳足前後步之,數足步影也。」
[zá míng] liàng rì guǐ yě. sān dé zhǐ guī yuē: “nà làn tuó sēng jí xiáng yuè yún: xī yù lì biǎo liàng yǐng, yǐng fàn yún cài, cǐ yún yǐng. cháo cài dào xī qù, biàn yǐ jiǎo zú qián hòu bù zhī, shù zú bù yǐng yě.”
[za ming] liang ri gui ye. san de zhi gui yue: "na lan tuo seng ji xiang yue yun: xi yu li biao liang ying, ying fan yun cai, ci yun ying. chao cai dao xi qu, bian yi jiao zu qian hou bu zhi, shu zu bu ying ye."
1) 裁 ts = cái p refers to [verb] “to cut; chid”; Domain: Buddhism 佛教 [fu jiao]; Notes: Sanskrit equivalent: chid, or: nikṣepa, Japanese: ko (BCSD '裁 [cai]', p. 1051; Mahāvyutpatti 'nikṣepaḥ'; MW 'nikṣepa'; Unihan '裁 [cai]').
2) 才 ts = cái p refers to [noun] “excellence; bhaga”; Domain: Buddhism 佛教 [fu jiao]; Notes: Sanskrit equivalent: bhaga, Japanese: sai, or: zai (BCSD '才 [cai]', p. 539; MW 'bhaga'; Unihan '才 [cai]')..
3) 財 t = 财 s = cái p refers to [noun] “wealth; dhana; vastu”; Domain: Buddhism 佛教 [fu jiao]; Notes: Sanskrit equivalent: dhana, or: artha, or: vastu, Japanese: zai, or: sai, Tibetan: nor (BCSD '財 [cai]', p. 1106; Mahāvyutpatti 'dhanam'; MW 'dhana'; SH '財 [cai]', p. 339; Unihan '財 [cai]')..
4) 採 ts = cǎi p refers to [verb] “to fetch; āhāraka”; Domain: Buddhism 佛教 [fu jiao]; Notes: Sanskrit equivalent: āhāraka, Japanese: sai (BCSD '採 [cai]', p. 553; MW 'āhāraka'; SH '採 [cai]', p. 350; Unihan '採 [cai]')..
Chinese Buddhism (漢傳佛教, hanchuan fojiao) is the form of Buddhism that developed in China, blending Mahayana teachings with Daoist and Confucian thought. Its texts are mainly in Classical Chinese, based on translations from Sanskrit. Major schools include Chan (Zen), Pure Land, Tiantai, and Huayan. Chinese Buddhism has greatly influenced East Asian religion and culture.
Biology (plants and animals)
1) Cai in India is the name of a plant defined with Setaria italica in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Panicum elongatum Poir., nom. illeg., non Panicum elongatum Salisb. (among others).
2) Cai in South America is also identified with Persea americana It has the synonym Persea gratissima var. vulgaris Meisn. (etc.).
Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):
· Journal of the Arnold Arboretum (1945)
· Enumeratio Stirpium Transsilvaniae (1816)
· Revisio Generum Plantarum (1891)
· Fragmenta Floristica et Geobotanica (1981)
· Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science (1913)
· Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club (1892)
If you are looking for specific details regarding Cai, for example side effects, chemical composition, diet and recipes, health benefits, extract dosage, pregnancy safety, have a look at these references.

This sections includes definitions from the five kingdoms of living things: Animals, Plants, Fungi, Protists and Monera. It will include both the official binomial nomenclature (scientific names usually in Latin) as well as regional spellings and variants.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
caī (चई).—f (Or cāī) A disease attacking and eating away hair and wool. v lāga.
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cāī (चाई).—f A certain shrub. Its leaves are esculent. 2 An edible root of the genus Arum.
--- OR ---
cāī (चाई).—f A disease attacking and eating away hair and wool. Otherwise called kātara or kātarī & undarī. v lāga.
caī (चई).—f (Or cāī) A disease attacking and eating away hair and wool. v lāga.
--- OR ---
cāī (चाई).—See caī.
Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.
Prakrit-English dictionary
Cāi (चाइ) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Tyāgin.
Prakrit is an ancient language closely associated with both Pali and Sanskrit. Jain literature is often composed in this language or sub-dialects, such as the Agamas and their commentaries which are written in Ardhamagadhi and Maharashtri Prakrit. The earliest extant texts can be dated to as early as the 4th century BCE although core portions might be older.
Kannada-English dictionary
Cai (ಚೈ):—[noun] the act of caressing, fondling or playing affectionately; a mutual merrymaking.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Tamil dictionary
Cai (சை) . The compound of ச் [c] and ஐ. [ai.]
--- OR ---
Cai (சை) interjection Expr. of contempt, of abhorrence; இகழ்ச்சிக் குறிப்பு. [igazhchig kurippu.]
Tamil is an ancient language of India from the Dravidian family spoken by roughly 250 million people mainly in southern India and Sri Lanka.
Chinese-English dictionary
[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]
採 [cǎi] [cai]—
1. To pick; to gather. Same as 采 [cai] (cǎi).
《史記 [shi ji].卷一一九 [juan yi yi jiu].循吏傳 [xun li chuan]》 (Shǐjì, juǎn yīyījiǔ, Xúnlì Zhuàn): "In autumn and winter, they were encouraged to gather from the mountains (山 [shan]shān cǎi); in spring and summer, by water (水 [shui] shuǐ). Each got what was convenient for them (各得其所便 [ge de qi suo bian] gè dé qí suǒ biàn), and the people (民 [min] mín) all enjoyed their lives (樂其生 [le qi sheng] lè qí shēng)."
唐 [tang] (Táng).李白 [li bai] (Lǐ Bái)〈子夜吳歌 [zi ye wu ge].春歌 [chun ge]〉 (Zǐyè Wú Gē, Chūn Gē): "A Lady Luofu (羅敷女 [luo fu nu] Luófū Nǚ) from Qin (秦地 [qin de] Qíndì) picks mulberries (桑 [sang] cǎi sāng) by the green water (綠水邊 [lu shui bian] lǜ shuǐ biān)."
2. To select; to choose. Same as 采 [cai] (cǎi).
《後漢書 [hou han shu].卷六三 [juan liu san].李固傳 [li gu chuan]》 (Hòu Hànshū, juǎn liùsān, Lǐ Gù Zhuàn): "It can be ordered that the Empress's palace (中宮 [zhong gong] zhōnggōng) widely select (博簡 [bo jian] bó jiǎn) concubines and attendants (嬪媵 [pin ying] pínyìng), and also choose (兼 [jian]jiān cǎi) humble and lowly (微賤 [wei jian] wēijiàn) individuals suitable for bearing children (宜子之人 [yi zi zhi ren] yí zǐ zhī rén)."
唐 [tang] (Táng).李白 [li bai] (Lǐ Bái)〈明唐賦 [ming tang fu]〉 (Míng Táng Fù): "Adopted the Yin (殷 [yin]) system (殷制 [yin zhi] cǎi Yīn zhì), considered the Xia (夏 [xia]) steps (酌夏步 [zhuo xia bu] zhuó Xià bù), mixed with (雜以 [za yi] zá yǐ) names (名 [ming] míng) of successive rooms (代室 [dai shi] dài shì) and multi-story buildings (重屋 [zhong wu] chóng wū), encompassed by (括以 [kuo yi] kuò yǐ) the celestial positions (辰次 [chen ci] chén cì) and numbers (數 [shu] shù) of fire (火 [huo] huǒ) and wood (木 [mu] mù)."
3. To dig; to excavate. Same as 采 [cai] (cǎi).
《魏書 [wei shu].卷九三 [juan jiu san].恩倖傳 [en xing chuan].茹皓傳 [ru hao chuan]》 (Wèi Shū, juǎn jiǔsān, Ēnxìng Zhuàn, Rú Hào Zhuàn): "Ru Hao (皓 [hao] Hào) was slightly skilled and ingenious (性微工巧 [xing wei gong qiao] xìng wēi gōngqiǎo), and established many things (多所興立 [duo suo xing li] duō suǒ xīnglì). He made a mountain (為山 [wei shan] wèi shān) to the west (西 [xi] xī) of Tianyuan Pond (天淵池 [tian yuan chi] Tiānyuān Chí), excavated (掘 [jue] cǎi jué) fine stones (佳石 [jia shi] jiā shí) from Mount Beimang (北邙 [bei mang] Běimáng) and South Mountain (南山 [nan shan] Nánshān), transplanted bamboo (徙竹 [xi zhu] xǐ zhú) from Ruying (汝穎 [ru ying] Rǔyǐng), and arranged (羅蒔 [luo shi] luó shì) them there (其間 [qi jian] qí jiān)."
4. To pull; to pluck.
《清平山堂話本 [qing ping shan tang hua ben].快嘴李翠蓮記 [kuai zui li cui lian ji]》 (Qīngpíng Shāntáng Huàběn, Kuàizuǐ Lǐ Cuìlián Jì): "If my temper flares up (惱咱性兒起 [nao zan xing er qi] nǎo zán xìngr qǐ), I'll grab your ears (揪住耳朵 [jiu zhu er duo] jiū zhù ěrduo) and pull your hair (頭髮 [tou fa] cǎi tóufà)."
5. To pay attention; to heed. Common usage for 睬 [cai] (cǎi).
《北齊書 [bei qi shu].卷九 [juan jiu].後主穆后傳 [hou zhu mu hou chuan]》 (Běi Qí Shū, juǎn jiǔ, Hòuzhǔ Mù Hòu Zhuàn): "Since the Empress (后 [hou] Hòu) took Lu (陸 [lu] Lù) as her mother (為母 [wei mu] wèi mǔ) and Tipa (提婆 [ti po] Típó) as her family (為家 [wei jia] wèi jiā), she no longer paid attention to (更不 [geng bu]gèng bù cǎi) Qingxiao (輕霄 [qing xiao] Qīngxiāo)."
《醒世恆言 [xing shi heng yan].卷六 [juan liu].小水灣天狐詒書 [xiao shui wan tian hu yi shu]》 (Xǐngshì Héngyán, juǎn liù, Xiǎo Shuǐwān Tiānhú Yí Shū): "Who among the crowd (眾人 [zhong ren] zhòngrén) paid attention to him (那個他 [na ge ta] nàge cǎi tā)? They just beat him wildly (一味亂打 [yi wei luan da] yīwèi luàndǎ)."
採:[動]
1.摘取。同「采」。《史記.卷一一九.循吏傳》:「秋冬則勸民山採,春夏以水,各得其所便,民皆樂其生。」唐.李白〈子夜吳歌.春歌〉:「秦地羅敷女,採桑綠水邊。」
2.擇取。同「采」。《後漢書.卷六三.李固傳》:「可令中宮博簡嬪媵,兼採微賤宜子之人。」唐.李白〈明唐賦〉:「採殷制,酌夏步,雜以代室重屋之名,括以辰次火木之數。」
3.掘取。同「采」。《魏書.卷九三.恩倖傳.茹皓傳》:「皓性微工巧,多所興立,為山於天淵池西,採掘北邙及南山佳石,徙竹汝穎,羅蒔其間。」
4.扯、拔。《清平山堂話本.快嘴李翠蓮記》:「若是惱咱性兒起,揪住耳朵採頭髮。」
5.理會。通「睬」。《北齊書.卷九.後主穆后傳》:「后既以陸為母,提婆為家,更不採輕霄。」《醒世恆言.卷六.小水灣天狐詒書》:「眾人那個採他,一味亂打。」
cǎi:[dòng]
1. zhāi qǔ. tóng “cǎi” . < shǐ jì. juǎn yī yī jiǔ. xún lì chuán>: “qiū dōng zé quàn mín shān cǎi, chūn xià yǐ shuǐ, gè dé qí suǒ biàn, mín jiē lè qí shēng.” táng. lǐ bái 〈zi yè wú gē. chūn gē〉: “qín de luó fū nǚ, cǎi sāng lǜ shuǐ biān.”
2. zé qǔ. tóng “cǎi” . < hòu hàn shū. juǎn liù sān. lǐ gù chuán>: “kě lìng zhōng gōng bó jiǎn pín yìng, jiān cǎi wēi jiàn yí zi zhī rén.” táng. lǐ bái 〈míng táng fù〉: “cǎi yīn zhì, zhuó xià bù, zá yǐ dài shì zhòng wū zhī míng, kuò yǐ chén cì huǒ mù zhī shù.”
3. jué qǔ. tóng “cǎi” . < wèi shū. juǎn jiǔ sān. ēn xìng chuán. rú hào chuán>: “hào xìng wēi gōng qiǎo, duō suǒ xìng lì, wèi shān yú tiān yuān chí xī, cǎi jué běi máng jí nán shān jiā shí, xǐ zhú rǔ yǐng, luó shí qí jiān.”
4. chě,, bá. < qīng píng shān táng huà běn. kuài zuǐ lǐ cuì lián jì>: “ruò shì nǎo zán xìng ér qǐ, jiū zhù ěr duǒ cǎi tóu fà.”
5. lǐ huì. tōng “cǎi” . < běi qí shū. juǎn jiǔ. hòu zhǔ mù hòu chuán>: “hòu jì yǐ lù wèi mǔ, tí pó wèi jiā, gèng bù cǎi qīng xiāo.” < xǐng shì héng yán. juǎn liù. xiǎo shuǐ wān tiān hú yí shū>: “zhòng rén nà gè cǎi tā, yī wèi luàn dǎ.”
cai:[dong]
1. zhai qu. tong "cai" . < shi ji. juan yi yi jiu. xun li chuan>: "qiu dong ze quan min shan cai, chun xia yi shui, ge de qi suo bian, min jie le qi sheng." tang. li bai
2. ze qu. tong "cai" . < hou han shu. juan liu san. li gu chuan>: "ke ling zhong gong bo jian pin ying, jian cai wei jian yi zi zhi ren." tang. li bai
3. jue qu. tong "cai" . < wei shu. juan jiu san. en xing chuan. ru hao chuan>: "hao xing wei gong qiao, duo suo xing li, wei shan yu tian yuan chi xi, cai jue bei mang ji nan shan jia shi, xi zhu ru ying, luo shi qi jian."
4. che,, ba. < qing ping shan tang hua ben. kuai zui li cui lian ji>: "ruo shi nao zan xing er qi, jiu zhu er duo cai tou fa."
5. li hui. tong "cai" . < bei qi shu. juan jiu. hou zhu mu hou chuan>: "hou ji yi lu wei mu, ti po wei jia, geng bu cai qing xiao." < xing shi heng yan. juan liu. xiao shui wan tian hu yi shu>: "zhong ren na ge cai ta, yi wei luan da."
Chinese language.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with (+20): Cai duoi chon, Cai mu, Caia, Caiaue, Caica Mohora, Caicavam, Caidika, Caidya, Caidyavara, Caidyoparicara, Caigasta, Caigudu, Caikatalinkam, Caikatam, Caikatavuntai, Caikattilam, Caikayata, Caikirshata, Caikirshita, Caikita.
Full-text (+2148): Cai tou, Cai shi, Qi cai, Bian cai, Nicais, Bian cai tian, Cai zhu, Cai hua, Shan cai tong zi, Jing cai, Qi fa cai, Wen cai, Le shuo bian cai, Caili, Chen cai, Hua cai, Cai qian, Shan cai, Cai mei, Tian cai.
Relevant text
Search found 124 books and stories containing Cai, Cāī, Caī, Cāi, Caī, Caí, Cái, Cǎi, Cài, Chai, Sai, 倸, 偲, 埰, 寀, 彩, 才, 採, 材, 猜, 睬, 綵, 縩, 纔, 菜, 蔡, 裁, 財, 财, 跴, 踩, 采, 䌽; (plurals include: Cais, Cāīs, Caīs, Cāis, Caís, Cáis, Cǎis, Càis, Chais, Sais). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Taisho: Chinese Buddhist Canon
Sutta 860: Rishidatta and Purana and Six Recollections in the Wilderness < [Part 99 - Samyukta-Agama (Connected Discourses)]
Sutta 281: Accumulating Wealth and Its Proper Use < [Part 100 - Samyuktagama-Sutra (alternative translation)]
Part 72 - Velama-sutta < [Agama Section (Volume 1-2)]
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An annotated syllabary of Sathewok Hakka < [Volume 28 (1963)]
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