noun
cake or snack served with tea
A light snack, often a sweet, served alongside tea. Common in casual or traditional settings.
おばあちゃんはいつも茶の子を出してくれる。
Grandma always serves a little snack with tea.
noun
offering at Buddhist services
A small gift or food offering given during Buddhist memorial services or temple visits. Regional and somewhat formal.
法事のとき、参列者に茶の子を配る習慣がある。
At memorial services, there is a custom of distributing small offerings to attendees.
noun
early morning snack for farmers
A light meal taken before the main breakfast, traditionally by farmers. Dialectal and now rare.
昔の農家では、朝早く茶の子を食べてから畑に出た。
In old farming households, people would eat a light snack before heading out to the fields.
Literally 'tea's child', suggesting a small accompaniment to tea. The exact origin is uncertain, but it likely arose from the custom of serving a small snack with tea.