在英语语言的思维中,并没有把vegetable 看作为不可数的物质名词,而是泛指一种蔬菜。例如:
Cabbage is a kind of vegetable.
你见到这句子时,不要因为前面有了 a kind of 就认为vegetable不可数。其实,可数名词和不可数名词之前都可以加a kind of表示“种类”,例如:a kind of bike,a kind of coal。此时,无论可数名词与否,都用单数。
实际上,Cabbage is a kind of vegetable. 等于 Cabbage is a vegetable.
由于vegetable 是可数名词,所以,下面这些表达都是正确的:
This is a vegetable. These are vegetables.
I watered the vegetable. 我给蔬菜浇水。
Most vegetables contain fibre.
大多数蔬菜含有纤维。
《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》
These vegetables can be grown from seed.
这些蔬菜可以撒籽栽种。
《牛津词典》
Their diet consists largely of vegetables.
他们的日常饮食以蔬菜为主。
《牛津词典》
The vegetables were planted in neat rows.
蔬菜一行行种得整整齐齐。
《牛津词典》