Tea in Chinese
The Chinese word for "tea" is 茶 (chá). 茶 is tea, and you 喝茶 (drink tea). Watch the colors: the tea English calls black is 红茶, 'red tea', in Chinese.
Chinese words for tea
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| 茶 | chá | tea | The default answer. |
| 绿茶 | lǜ chá | green tea | Unfermented tea such as 龙井 Longjing. |
| 红茶 | hóng chá | black tea | Fully oxidized tea, what English calls black tea. |
| 奶茶 | nǎi chá | milk tea | Tea with milk, including the bubble tea sold in shops. |
| 茶馆 | chá guǎn | teahouse | A place to sit, drink tea and talk. |
Example sentences
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我们去喝茶吧。 | wǒ men qù hē chá ba. | Let's go for some tea. |
| 你喜欢绿茶还是红茶？ | nǐ xǐ huan lǜ chá hái shi hóng chá? | Do you prefer green tea or black tea? |
| 请喝茶。 | qǐng hē chá. | Please have some tea. |
| 我想要一杯奶茶。 | wǒ xiǎng yào yī bēi nǎi chá. | I'd like a cup of milk tea. |
| 这家茶馆很有名。 | zhè jiā chá guǎn hěn yǒu míng. | This teahouse is famous. |
The characters in 茶
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning here |
|---|---|---|
| 茶 | chá | tea; 艹 (grass, plant) on top |
Common mistakes
- 红茶 is black tea in English. 黑茶 is a different category of post-fermented tea.
- You drink tea with 喝, not 吃: 喝茶.
- Count it by the container: 一杯茶 (a cup), 一壶茶 (a pot).
Related
Frequently asked questions
How do you say tea in Chinese?
茶 (chá). Other ways: 绿茶 (lǜ chá); 红茶 (hóng chá); 奶茶 (nǎi chá).
How do you say bubble tea in Chinese?
珍珠奶茶 (zhēn zhū nǎi chá), literally 'pearl milk tea', or just 奶茶.
Why is black tea called 红茶?
Chinese names it after the color of the brewed tea, which is reddish; English names it after the dark leaves.
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