Tea and tea culture with 茶
茶 means tea, including the plant, its leaves, and the drink.
Etymology
茶 is a plant character built with 艹 (grass) over a sound-bearing element related to 余. Its oldest use centers on the tea plant and leaves prepared for drinking.
Tea Drinks
紅茶 (Black tea)
紅茶 means black tea, named for the reddish color of the brewed drink.
It combines 紅 (crimson) with 茶 (tea) to show a red-colored tea.
Makoto and her cousins visit a trendy witch-owned café. As the trio chats over tea and cake, the café’s owner and her daughter, Anzu, return home. Anzu goes out to greet the guests.
- 杏子:
- 「いらっしゃいませ。紅茶のおかわりいかがですか？」
- “Welcome. Can I offer you some more tea?”
抹茶 (Green tea)
抹茶 is a finely powdered green tea whisked with hot water or used to flavor foods and sweets.
It combines 抹 (rub into powder) with 茶 (tea) to show powdered tea.
Visiting her new friend’s family’s café, Cocoa ponders over which menu item to order.
- ココア:
- 「わー抹茶パフェもいいし クリームあんみつ白玉ぜんざいも 捨てがたいなあ」
- “Wow, the green tea parfait is good, but the cream anmitsu and dumpling red bean soup are difficult to pass on.”
Tea Spaces
茶屋 (Teahouse)
茶屋 means a teahouse, tea shop, or tea dealer. In Kyoto’s geisha districts, it refers to an establishment that arranges banquets with maiko and geiko.
It combines 茶 (tea) with 屋 (shop or building) to show a teahouse or tea shop.
A couple of maiko see Momohana leave a shop and head in the other direction.
- まいこ１:
- 「どこ行くんやろ。屋形はこっちなのに。」
- “I wonder where she's going. The lodge is this way, though.”
- まいこ２:
- 「お茶屋さん回りやろ。」
- “She's probably doing the teahouse rounds.”
喫茶店 (Cafe)
喫茶店 means a cafe or Japanese-style coffeehouse serving drinks and light food.
It combines 喫 (consume), 茶 (tea), and 店 (shop) to show a shop for drinking tea or coffee.
Rize explains to Syaro why she and her friends are at the store.
- リゼ:
- 「喫茶店で使うカップ買いに来たんだよ」
- “We came to buy cups to use at the café.”