茶

• Reading: ちゃ
• Romaji: cha
• Kanji breakdown: 茶 (cha/sa) — tea
• Pronunciation: /tɕa/

Meaning

Tea. The beverage made from tea leaves, or the plant itself.

A noun used both on its own and in many compounds: お茶 (ocha, tea with polite prefix), 緑茶 (ryokucha, green tea), 紅茶 (koucha, black tea), 茶道 (sadou, tea ceremony). The polite form お茶 is far more common in daily conversation. Also appears in idioms like お茶を濁す (ocha wo nigosu, to be evasive).

Examples

1. 食事の後にいつも温かい茶を飲む。 I always drink hot tea after a meal.
2. 静岡県は茶の産地として有名だ。 Shizuoka Prefecture is famous as a tea-producing region.
3. 茶色のカバンを探しているのですが。 I'm looking for a brown bag.

Usage Guide

Context: food and drink, culture, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Chinese 茶 (chá). Tea was introduced to Japan from China during the Nara period (8th century). The kanji depicts a plant (艹) growing from the earth, with the lower part suggesting new shoots.

Cultural Context

Era: Nara period

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal