also: のちすみ
noun
second adding of charcoal to the fire (tea ceremony)
A technical term used in the context of the Japanese tea ceremony (茶道). Refers to the second addition of charcoal to the hearth during a tea gathering, typically performed after the main sweets and before the thin tea (薄茶).
See also: 後の炭
茶事では、後炭の手前が終わると薄茶が点てられる。
In a tea ceremony, after the second charcoal-laying procedure, thin tea is prepared.
初炭 refers to the first adding of charcoal, performed earlier in the tea ceremony, while 後炭 is the second addition.
Compound of 後 (go, 'after' or 'later') and 炭 (sumi, 'charcoal'), with rendaku voicing of すみ to ずみ. The reading のちすみ uses the kun'yomi for 後.