喫茶店

• Reading: きっさてん
• Romaji: kissaten
• Kanji breakdown: 喫 (kitsu/kis) — consume, drink; 茶 (sa/cha) — tea; 店 (ten) — shop, store
• Pronunciation: /kis.sa.teɴ/

Meaning

Coffee shop; tearoom; cafe. A traditional Japanese-style cafe serving coffee, tea, and light meals.

A noun referring to a traditional Japanese cafe. Unlike modern chain cafes (カフェ), a 喫茶店 often has a retro atmosphere, serves hand-dripped coffee, and may offer simple meals like ナポリタン (Japanese spaghetti) or サンドイッチ. Many 喫茶店 have been run by the same owner for decades.

Examples

1. あの喫茶店のコーヒーはとてもおいしいです。 The coffee at that coffee shop is really delicious.
2. 喫茶店で友達と話しました。 I talked with my friend at the coffee shop.
3. 大学の近くに古い喫茶店があります。 There is an old coffee shop near the university.

Usage Guide

Context: cafes, socializing, leisure

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

A Sino-Japanese compound. 喫 means to consume or drink, 茶 means tea, and 店 means shop. Originally referred to tea-drinking establishments before coffee became the main offering.

Cultural Context

Era: Meiji

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal