Waku Waku Japanese – Language Lesson 48: Tea

When exploring and learning about Japanese culture, you’re sure to run into this one particular drink that is served at almost all meals. It’s tea, ocha! In Japan there’s even art forms and ways of life devoted to tea such as "Sadou" and "Senchadou" (way of tea). While many of you have probably tried and experienced green tea in it’s various forms, here’s a lesson to help with any confusion and provide a better understanding of the wide variety of tea there is. So go try out some of these different types of teas and remember their Japanese names!

Ocha – tea
おちゃ／お茶

Sadou / senchadou – way of tea / tea ceremony
さどう・茶道／せんちゃどう・煎茶道

Ocha wo nomu – to drink tea
おちゃをのむ／お茶を飲む

Ocha wo ireru – to brew tea
おちゃをいれる／お茶をいれる

Maccha wo tateru – preparing tea (whisking powder tea and hot water)
抹茶をたてる／まっちゃをたてる

Maccha – type of green tea (often in powder form)
抹茶／まっちゃ

Sencha – tea leaves
煎茶／せんちゃ

Bancha – green tea (made from out of season tea leaves, lower quality)
番茶／ばんちゃ

Genmaicha – roasted brown rice mixed with green tea leaves
玄米茶／げんまいちゃ

Houjicha – roasted green tea leaves
焙じ茶／ほうじちゃ

Mugicha – barley tea
麦茶／むぎちゃ

Ryokucha – "Japanese tea" (green tea)
緑茶／りょくちゃ

Koucha – western black tea (lit. red tea)
紅茶／こうちゃ

Hakucha – white tea (Chinese teas)
白茶／はくちゃ