茶
tea
Readings
On'yomi
- チャ
- サ
Kun'yomi
—
Nanori
- ちや
Meaning
茶 centers on tea: the drink, the plant, and the culture around it.
Most common words using 茶
20 of 334- お茶おちゃN5
tea (esp. green or barley)
- 茶ちゃN3
tea
- 滅茶苦茶めちゃくちゃN3
absurd; unreasonable; nonsensical; preposterous; incoherent
- 紅茶こうちゃN5
black tea
- 無茶むちゃN1
absurd; unreasonable; ridiculous
- 茶色ちゃいろN5
brown; light brown; tawny
- 喫茶店きっさてんN5
coffee shop; tearoom; coffee lounge; coffeehouse; cafe
- 喫茶きっさN1
tea drinking
- 抹茶まっちゃ
matcha; powdered green tea
- 目茶目茶めちゃめちゃN1
disorderly; messy; ruined
- 緑茶りょくちゃ
green tea; Japanese tea
- 茶屋ちゃや
teahouse; (Edo period) rest stop
- 茶番ちゃばん
farce; charade
- 茶碗ちゃわんN5
rice bowl; tea cup; teacup
- 無茶苦茶むちゃくちゃN2
nonsensical; unreasonable; absurd; unrealistic
- 茶髪ちゃぱつ
hair dyed brown; brown-dyed hair
- 麦茶むぎちゃ
barley tea
- 茶道さどうN3
tea ceremony; Way of Tea; sadō
- 茶飯事さはんじ
matter of no importance; commonly occurring thing; commonplace event; bread and butter item
- 茶の間ちゃのまN1
(Japanese-style) living room
Study
Etymology
茶 combines 艹 (grass/plant) with a simplified form that historically derives from 余, which likely contributed the sound. The character originally referred to the tea plant.
Meaning mnemonic
The top 艹 is the grass radical, suggesting a plant. The bottom looks like a person under a roof, perhaps preparing tea. Together, 茶 is the tea plant.
Reading mnemonic
For チャ, imagine a steaming cup of tea: the sound of a satisfied 'cha' after a sip cues チャ.